I had COVID-19 in October.
Two-and-a-half weeks later, I was rid of it. I will never forget what I experienced in that time period. That was all it took to show me I was mortal. Two and a half weeks.
On Monday, March 9, I was able to get an appointment to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. When I received my confirmation, I was shocked. I barely fit the criteria. I figured it would be months before I would be approved for the vaccine, let alone actually scheduled for an appointment. I had to drive an hour and a half to be at a mall in Enid at 8:00 a.m. to get it, but that was more than worth the hassle, in my opinion. All of a sudden, it was a whole new world for me.
Why did this happen?
It’s mostly due to Oklahoma’s higher-than-expected vaccine rollout. Oklahoma recently moved into Phase 3 of its vaccination process, which allows all teachers, staff and residents in other educational settings, as well as critical infrastructure personnel. Oklahoma has recently ranked as high as seventh in the country in vaccine distribution. A recent study determined at least 24.2 percent of all Oklahomans have received at least one dose of an available COVID-19 vaccine, and at least 13.1 percent of all Oklahomans have been fully vaccinated.
I was benefitting from Oklahoma’s expedited rollout process, and I felt guilty about it. Why should I be this close to the front of the line? It turns out, it was because of a mix of Oklahoma’s more open registration process, as well as the first-come-first-serve nature of it.
The process was simple. I filled out two pieces of paperwork (the site I went to was having computer issues, so it could be less than that for some people), and I was walking to my car within 30 minutes – 15 of which included the mandatory waiting period after the shot to make sure the recipient does not have an allergic reaction.
For those who are afraid of needles or getting shots, I want to emphasize one thing – this was the easiest injection I have ever received. I did not feel anything, and I’m not a big fan of needles myself. I’m not exaggerating when I say there was absolutely no pain. I’m not a medical expert, so I don’t know why this was the case, or if the kind of needle used has anything to do with it. It is a completely painless shot that takes about five seconds to complete.
You might get flu-like symptoms with your first shot if you have had COVID-19 before. Mine started about eight hours after the shot. I had a dull headache and fatigue for the next 24 hours. I slept nearly 12 hours the night after getting the vaccine. However, within 48 hours, I was back to normal again. A welt at the injection site is also common for many people. Mine was subdued greatly with an icepack and Benadryl. This was a piece of cake compared to symptoms from the actual virus.
I am now set to receive the second dose of the vaccine in early April, and I couldn’t be more excited. The sooner we all act, the sooner things will get back to normal and away from this dreaded “new normal.” I’m optimistic about college football games in soldout stadiums this fall, and concerts in arenas again. We can do this if we work together.
Go online and register to get your free vaccine if you haven’t already at vaccinate.oklahoma.gov.