Last Tuesday March 23, 2021, i finally got my 1st dose of AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine in Ospital ng Maynila Medical Centre. It has been almost a month since the vaccine rollout started to healthcare workers. Luckily, our good Mayor, Isko Moreno of the City of Manila, announced earlier on March that private medical/dental/allied healthcare workers are also included in this initial rollout.
After signing up, you are given a QR code, a pdf file containing your future vaccination records, and a consent form, save or screenshot these on your phone, they (specifically just the QR code) will be used to access your records once your turn comes.
I came in at around 11.30am, there was a long queue. First stop - B.P taking, if you have high blood pressure, they'll ask you to rest for a while. Second stop - verbal interview / medical questionnaire. Third stop - vaccination proper. Fourth stop - post-vaccination monitoring, in case of any bad reactions, i was given a flyer to contact them in case of any unexpected incidents.
Why they gave away some toothpaste samples baffles me.
Unexpectedly, by 12.30nn i was done with everything! The line outside was also significantly shorter!
(life hack- don't go shit early like 7am on these kinds of things, you're just setting yourself up for disappointment)
I wasn't given a hard copy of my vaccination records. But the record was live-updated on the registration website and can be retrieved there. This is better because anybody can write down what they want on a physical copy anyway.
Side effects - on the same day, i just had a mild headache. I took paracetamol, also to pre-empt a fever just in case, because I've heard it happening to other colleagues who took the shot earlier.
On the next day, March 24, i still had a very mild headache, and i woke up feeling 'tired'. It might be because i overslept too, i slept from 3am to 11am. Took another dose of paracetamol after lunch. By sunset, the feeling of 'tiredness' disappeared. Also, a mild pain on site of vaccination 0.5/10.
My body temp didn't exceed 37.5C all the while.
It has been 3 days since i have been vaccinated, i no longer feel any 'side effects'.
So why i chose AstraZeneca vaccine? Because the vaccination site is nearer and more accessible to me!
If you have any more doubts on taking the vaccine whatever the brand is, just think of it as if you're watching a stupid Marvel movie -
SUSPEND YOUR DISBELIEF!
BELIEVE IN THE SCIENCE!
It works 100% better than prayers alone.
It's still a long road ahead, so don't forget the mask wearing, hand washing, and physical distancing routines.
Hopefully you'll live long enough to receive the vaccine.