Getting Vaccinated for COVID-19: A Personal Experience and Call to Action
On January 3rd, 2022, I walked into King Harman Road hospital where I worked, eagerly anticipating my booster shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine for COVID-19. While I experienced some mild symptoms the following day, including headaches and fatigue, I was grateful for the protection that the vaccine offered. Little did I know that in just a few hours after my vaccination, my husband would be exposed to the virus.
Despite our best efforts to isolate and prevent the spread of the virus, my husband came down with full-blown COVID-19 just seven days after his exposure. Our ten-year-old son also tested positive and, as someone with asthma, experienced aggravated symptoms and required round-the-clock care. I couldn’t have been more at risk for exposure, but miraculously, I tested negative four times while living among high-risk, infected loved ones.
There is one mystery about our experience, though: our nine-year-old daughter never contracted the virus, even though she was tested three times during that month. We don’t know why she was spared, but we’re grateful that one member of our family was unscathed by the virus.
My whole family’s experience with COVID-19 reinforced the need for vaccines, but my experience with vaccinations is also significantly reassuring. Even though I was constantly exposed to the virus for three solid weeks, I remained uninfected and subsequently received my second dose of the vaccine on March 31st, 2022, with manageable side effects.
Now, as a healthcare worker who has witnessed firsthand the devastation that COVID-19 can wreak, I encourage every eligible adult to get vaccinated. There are many reports circulating in the media about severe allergic reactions to the vaccine, but these cases are very rare. However, if you have had an allergic reaction to any of the vaccine’s ingredients in the past, you should avoid it.
Despite this, most people can safely and confidently roll up their sleeves to get vaccinated. Although it’s true that vaccinated individuals can still contract the virus and spread it, such cases are much less severe and less frequent. Additionally, once enough eligible people are vaccinated, we have a chance of creating a safer environment for all.
I know that some people are hesitant to get vaccinated, but the data and my personal experience are incredibly positive. As a healthcare worker, I have seen many people die from COVID-19 worldwide; therefore, I implore my fellow community members to take the vaccine for their own safety, for their friends and family’s safety, and for the public’s safety.
As for our family, we have emerged from our COVID-19 experience much stronger and more grateful for one another. We are also more certain than ever that getting vaccinated was the right decision. Seeing what harm, the virus can do to those we love to drove us to take action and encouraged us to urge others to do their part in fighting COVID-19. After all, we all have a role to play in this battle and a chance to protect ourselves and those around us.
To protect ourselves and our loved ones, let’s take advantage of the opportunity to get vaccinated for COVID-19. It’s free and safe, and it could make a world of difference.
