Read on Twitter
Clear and honest science/health communication is critical in controlling this pandemic. This morning I’m receiving my first COVID vaccine @TexasChildrens and want to share my experience. So here we go...live tweeting #StickItToCOVID #BCMCares with @bcmhouston
Easy check in, consent obtained! So many vaccinators on site! 2/
Here we go! Feeling so grateful to be receiving this vaccine today. Thank you to all the scientists and the clinical trial participants for working so hard and sacrificing so much so that we can have this moment! Eyes full of tears thinking about all the loss and now the hope. 3/
Was given my vaccine card to tell me the vaccine I received, the lot number and when I need to come back for vaccine #2. Everyone will get this card
Now headed to the observation unit where I’ll wait for 30 minutes to make sure I don’t have any reactions.
As I wait let’s chat about the side effects I may (or may not) experience so that there are no surprises Data from phase 3 clinics trial https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2034577 5/
1. Mild to moderate pain at injection site is the most common reported symptom and more common in people < 55 years old (in > 55 yo 71% after 1st dose, 66% after 2nd dose; < 55 yo 83% after 1st dose, 78% after 2nd dose) 6/
*of note there were no participants reporting a grade 4 local reaction and most local reactions resolved in 1-2 days. 7/
2. Systemic symptoms: increased <55 yo, and after 2nd dose: fatigue (59% in <55 yo and 51% in >55 yo), headache (52% in <55 yo and 39% in > 55 yo) but mostly reported after 2nd dose. Fever after 1st dose only 0.2% in younger and 0.1% in older after first dose 8/
*note I’ll only be using antipyretics if I develop symptoms (not prophylactically). These symptoms are evidence the immune system is engaged and doing its job 9/
3. Adverse events: incidence of serious adverse events is similar between the vaccine group (0.6%) and placebo group (0.5%). No deaths during the trial were attributable to vaccination. Things to watch for: lymphadenopathy 10/
While I wait I’m also enrolling in the V-safe program through @cdc a smartphone based text active surveillance program https://vsafe.cdc.gov and if I have an adverse event I can also report via the standard VAERS https://vaers.hhs.gov 11/
Alright y’all my 30 min of observation are up. Heading back to work with a lot of positive wishes for our post vaccine world. I’ll keep everyone posted over the next few days on how I’m feeling so you’re all prepared for your COVID vaccine! And I’ll be back for #2 on Jan 6th!
I’m also going to continue wearing my mask, social distancing and avoiding crowds until everyone has access to the vaccine and we know more about if the vaccine protects against asymptomatic viral transmission 13/
Update: I’ve already received my first text message from V-safe. I filled out an online questionnaire that asked: how am I feel, do I have any symptoms, so I have a fever, have the symptoms impeded my day to day function, am I pregnant? Process took me less than 1 minute. 14/
