As the COVID-19 vaccine continues to be rolled out at incredible speed across the UK, we spoke with two of the first people to be vaccinated about their experiences: a frontline health-worker with pre-existing respiratory conditions, and a 96-year-old lady. We hope that their accounts will provide insight into what you can expect to experience on the day.
30-year-old Doctor with pre-existing respiratory conditions: (Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine)
1. How did you feel when you were offered the COVID-19 vaccine?
Very pleased and relieved. I am seeing a lot of patients face-to-face, who may be asymptomatic even though we do triage them by phone first. Although I’m wearing PPE when I see them, it’s not the same as ITU-style full PPE, so it’s not 100% protecting me.
2. What was your experience of receiving the vaccine on the day?
Very quick, painless. Because I have an EpiPen® and various allergies, it was felt most appropriate that I had the Oxford vaccine, so I didn’t have any allergic reaction to the vaccine.
3. How did you feel afterwards?
I had the vaccine in the morning, got a mild headache in the evening, was a bit unwell overnight, and was fine by the next day.
4. Do you have any advice to someone who is unsure about being vaccinated?
I would encourage people to have it if they’re not sure. I would also encourage people to think about the opportunities they might have once they’ve had the vaccine. How will they feel? How will their family feel? Perhaps if they want to go on holiday in the future, having a COVID-19 vaccine might be a requirement to travel. I would ask people to think about all the effects it could have.
96-year-old female from Kent: (Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine)
1. How did you feel when you were offered the COVID-19 vaccine?
I was glad to be offered the vaccination as I think it is a dreadful illness for anyone to suffer.
Mrs X spoke about the confusion over the spacing of the two doses:
I was also glad to have the two injections, although I would willingly have delayed the second one on the say-so of medical advisers. Manufacturers should know what they have proved.
2. What was your experience of receiving the vaccine on the day?
My experience on the day was nothing but good!
I appreciated receiving some inside information before walking long distances across the car park and down corridors, so I was prepared with a wheelchair in the boot. I thought that the stewards did a brilliant job in cold and draughty circumstances and were all very pleasant.
3. How did you feel afterwards? Did you have any concerns?
I felt fine afterwards: no sore arm or fever.
I was suspicious that the vaccine might interfere with all the other medication I am on. Coincidentally, on each occasion I had four or five nights of poor sleep, which made me think my medication may have been affected. But, this did not go on beyond those days. One gets to know some of one’s medications quite well!
4. Do you have any advice to someone who is unsure about being vaccinated?
I hope this helps rather than confuses others, but something might just click with someone else's experience. I have heard others also mention sleeplessness after vaccination, but that could be a red herring!
Other voices from the frontline:
“It’s just such a relief. You see such horrible things on the news.”
“I was so pleased when I got a call from the GP”
“We are so grateful, it has been so lonely this last year”
“It’s all very efficient, we hardly had to wait at all”
With over 5.3 million people in the UK already vaccinated (as of 22/01/2020), we can only hope that supply remains high and the vaccine continues to be rolled out to those most vulnerable as soon as possible. It is nevertheless reassuring to see that the vast majority of people have been satisfied with their experience of being vaccinated, and this should encourage others to take up the vaccination whenever it is offered to them.
For more information on COVID-19 vaccination, please visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/coronavirus-vaccine/
Author:
Deborah Allen, Volunteer COVID-19 Vaccinator; MSc Global Health Science and Epidemiology, St Anne’s College.
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