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Vaccine, Vaccine, Vaccine, Vaccine
Mar. 18th, 2021 09:43 amWhy yes, I have been singing "Vaccine, etc" to the tune of "Jolene" for weeks now. Tee hee.
I got my first dose of the COVID vaccine on Tuesday. My colleagues and I were lucky enough to be included in the group of teachers here in Belarus even though we teach at an international school and don't teach any local children (there are laws about what schools local citizens can attend). We are getting the Russian Sputnik V vaccine as it is the only one available and likely to be available. I didn't want to wait 'til my summer trip to the US as I'm still not 100% certain I'll get to go home. I'm planning on it, but you know, Life.
I decided to get this vaccine for a couple of reasons. No vaccines are 100% effective, and even if the efficacy of this one is oversold, it's still better than nothing. I've seen several stories recently about fully vaccinated people still getting COVID and passing it on, so I'm not going to burn my masks or anything. I walked about it with my students this week, about how life has changed, and we talked about how long and in what circumstances we might continue to wear masks, even when the world is deemed "safe" from COVID again. I don't think I'll be able to travel without one again, particularly when I fly or take a train. But if I can be around my family with few worries, I am really happy to do that. Some countries are starting to change quarantine rules for vaccinated travelers, allowing them to visit without a 10-day quarantine, and that is enormously appealing.
So far, I haven't had too many negative side effects. My arm is a little sore, though not as bad as when I got a flu shot last fall. Last night, just over 24 hours from getting the first shot, I felt super queasy, achy, and my temperature rose, noticeably though not up to fever level. I took some ibuprofen, drank some Sprite, and just went to bed. Today I have a headache and neck ache and fatigue, but I'm also stressed about some things, including the year-long pandemic stress that never really goes away, so it's really hard to say what is a response to the vaccine, what is depression/anxiety, and what is the general Blah due to the State of the World (and whatever new, horrible story is in the news. Plus there's a cold that's particularly nasty going around school. All in all, I'm not too concerned.
I have heard that the second dose is what knocks most people out. My bestie, who got the Moderna vaccine in the US, was knocked OUT for two days after her second dose. She said it was like the worst flu she'd ever had. With that in mind, I'll type out full lesson plans for a few days once I get my second dose scheduled, just in case.
I got my first dose of the COVID vaccine on Tuesday. My colleagues and I were lucky enough to be included in the group of teachers here in Belarus even though we teach at an international school and don't teach any local children (there are laws about what schools local citizens can attend). We are getting the Russian Sputnik V vaccine as it is the only one available and likely to be available. I didn't want to wait 'til my summer trip to the US as I'm still not 100% certain I'll get to go home. I'm planning on it, but you know, Life.
I decided to get this vaccine for a couple of reasons. No vaccines are 100% effective, and even if the efficacy of this one is oversold, it's still better than nothing. I've seen several stories recently about fully vaccinated people still getting COVID and passing it on, so I'm not going to burn my masks or anything. I walked about it with my students this week, about how life has changed, and we talked about how long and in what circumstances we might continue to wear masks, even when the world is deemed "safe" from COVID again. I don't think I'll be able to travel without one again, particularly when I fly or take a train. But if I can be around my family with few worries, I am really happy to do that. Some countries are starting to change quarantine rules for vaccinated travelers, allowing them to visit without a 10-day quarantine, and that is enormously appealing.
So far, I haven't had too many negative side effects. My arm is a little sore, though not as bad as when I got a flu shot last fall. Last night, just over 24 hours from getting the first shot, I felt super queasy, achy, and my temperature rose, noticeably though not up to fever level. I took some ibuprofen, drank some Sprite, and just went to bed. Today I have a headache and neck ache and fatigue, but I'm also stressed about some things, including the year-long pandemic stress that never really goes away, so it's really hard to say what is a response to the vaccine, what is depression/anxiety, and what is the general Blah due to the State of the World (and whatever new, horrible story is in the news. Plus there's a cold that's particularly nasty going around school. All in all, I'm not too concerned.
I have heard that the second dose is what knocks most people out. My bestie, who got the Moderna vaccine in the US, was knocked OUT for two days after her second dose. She said it was like the worst flu she'd ever had. With that in mind, I'll type out full lesson plans for a few days once I get my second dose scheduled, just in case.
