With vaccines rolling out, more and more people have been inoculated against COVID-19 — a hopeful step towards managing a virus that has been so catastrophic that it affected the whole world for over a year already.
Politics, conspiracy theories, and unverified information about the vaccines are rampant both all over the internet and offline. Some — if not all — of these have played a hand in making people hesitant or even discouraged from getting vaccinated. It can’t be denied that the pandemic has fast-tracked the development of the vaccines and that there aren’t any long-term studies about them yet.
Still, a lot of people made the choice to get the vaccine. g.spot asked some of them about what their vaccination experience was like, and what made them decide to get it.
Bee Urgello
My vaccination experience went smoothly except for my blood pressure which went up due to nervousness 😂 but after some rest, it finally went down. The entire process went on smoothly and with each step, there’s someone to guide you, and also doctors are there to give some more information and answer questions on what to expect after the vaccination.
Honestly, there were some people including some family members who were telling me not to get vaccinated. They were fearful of the harmful side effects of the vaccine. but you know what, whether they’re true or not…. I know one thing for sure: The effects of getting COVID-19 are far more dangerous than the possible adverse effects of the vaccine. As a registered nurse, I’m a firm believer in the scientific process. I am positive that the pros greatly outweigh the cons in getting vaccinated.
Jason Roy Cabuguas
I decided to get vaccinated in the hope of getting back even a bit of normalcy and to start doing some things that I stopped because of the pandemic. It is my way of protecting not just myself, but others in our community.
Kudos to Cebu City’s efficient and systematic vaccination procedure, my experience was seamless and very fast, starting from the online registration, to the next day’s text confirmation, up to the on-site organized arrangements. It was a no-sweat experience, as easy as 1-2-3. Luckily, the mild, flu-like side effects I experienced only lasted a day, and after that, I was feeling good as new again!
I highly urge everyone to take this opportunity to get vaccinated. Castaway your doubts and have a positive, hopeful, and grateful mental outlook. For sure, the world will get through this stronger. We all have to do our part. Together, we’re stronger.
Joanna Cuenco
I wasn’t in a hurry to get vaccinated and was of course willing to wait my turn. But I took the opportunity when my cousin said their company had available slots for dependents. The first vaccination took three hours and it was draining because of the heat and all the waiting, but the second session went pretty quickly. I had no side effects either time and only felt a little tenderness in the jabbed area for a couple of days after.
I normally don’t even get the regular flu shot annually, but with a virus this complex and contagious, the return to normal depends on a majority of the population getting vaccinated.
Ritchell Selma
I was excited to get my shot of hope last June 7, knowing that it was only me and my son who didn’t get the vaccine yet in my family. My parents got it under the A2 category, my partner under the A3, and my three sisters through their companies.
I got severe a headache and body malaise, but no fever and no chills, and my blood pressure was normal. I also vomited once. I also felt thirsty and craved sweets. I am sharing this to say that yes, there would be side effects depending on the immune system and what our bodies can handle, but these are mild and would only last for a day.
I am happy to be part of the solution that will help us all feel safe and get a bit closer to our old norm and to a better economy. Most importantly, keeping our family healthy and secure.
Candice Hintz
I was initially anxious about going to the vaccination site as I was expecting it to be disorganized and chaotic. I was so very surprised by the efforts taken by the government to ensure that the whole process was not going to be as I expected. It was easy, organized, clean, with all the frontliners giving as much information and they were more than willing to assist and answer any questions anybody might have.
As for the experience after, I heard a lot of stories from those who already have been vaccinated to have had side effects. I expected the worst, particularly that I have at least four of the commorbidities the government has listed. But the only feeling both my husband I had from the first jab was fatigue and a bit of pain where they injected us. We only had to go through these side effects on the same day when we were vaccinated. The following day, we were doing fine.
I decided to get vaccinated because I have hypertension, diabetes, was considered obese and I have a bad case of asthma. I take maintenance medications for all of these diseases. Knowing that these are pre-existing conditions that could make it fatal for me should I get the virus made it a given that I needed to be vaccinated. For about a year and a half, I’ve had my fears about getting the disease.
More than wearing air-purifying necklaces, protection coats, gloves, etc. that could cost more money with no guarantee of safety, getting vaccinated is free and a better option to be protected from the virus.
Chennie Montero
Getting vaccinated means a lot to someone who has a health condition and is pretty much anxious about what’s happening and worried about her health. I felt nervous and at the same time, excited. Mixed emotions.
Just within the day of the shot, I felt so heavy before I went to bed. I had a slight fever and headache, and the area where they injected the vaccine is a bit painful. The side effects vary from person to person, so what happened to me might not happen to you.
I lined up for two hours before I actually got the shot. The whole time I was waiting, I was just thinking about the future. There were a lot of uncertainties but I was also thinking about the possibility of better days ahead. Call me sentimental or emotional but I was in tears and I tried to hold it in because I’m so happy vaccines are rolling out now. I highly encourage everyone to get vaccinated. This is the only way to move forward.
