Vaccination: The Story Continues

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 11:17:04 GMT

So, there seem to be two different vaccination schemes going on at once in the UK. The national NHS one, and a more local one run by the specific doctor's surgeries. On Tuesday last week, I got an appointment from the NHS one to go and be vaccinated on Thursday 18th, which I was delighted about. But then, on Saturday, I got a text from my doctor saying "You can book a vaccination spot tomorrow." Not only that, but DH, who is three years younger - and therefore in a different tier - could book one too, so we could go in together, meaning whoever was least ill on the way back could drive the car.

Naturally I cancelled the one on the 18th and we went yesterday. His appointment was 40 minutes after mine, but they were doing a first come first served queue, so we went through only seconds apart.

This was the AstraZeneca one. The jab was so quick and so painless that I spent half of last night fretting about whether it had actually happened at all. (I saw her take the syringe out and felt the needle touch my skin, but didn't feel it go in.)

I now understand exactly why 18th Century doctors added asfoetida to their medicine to make it taste extra horrible. I would have preferred it if the injection site had been sore, because then I would have definitely known I had had an injection, and wouldn't have been paranoid about being some kind of guinea pig for some unannounced placebo scheme. (I was very anxious to get this vaccination, I think you can tell.)

Anyway. Zero side effects last night. The arm barely stung if I lay on it in bed. But this morning I've woken up feeling exhausted, headachy, weepy and shivery. So I'm somewhat reassured that it did happen after all.

The expected feeling of relief at now being much less likely to die of Covid has not hit me yet, but I expect it the moment I stop feeling so generally grotty.

comments

galadhir

Vaccination: The Story Continues