Woke up with a sore right arm Thursday, a predicted side effect of the first shot of COVID-19 vaccine received at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Amy fell asleep on the way home from Christiansburg. She slept through the afternoon and the night — another side effect, according to the written materials they provided.
In three weeks, we get the second one and the after effects may be more severe, particularly for a wife with chronic migraine headaches.
But it’s worth it if we get through the shots without catching the virus that has affected 589,375 Virginians and killed 9.849 in the Commowealth.
Infections in the United States have topped 2.8 million and killed 540,574 and counting. Worldwide, the death toll is over 2.6 million.
Our shots administered at a church in a strip mall behind the Long John Silver’s in Christiansburg, were effortless. We arrived at 10:45 a.m., filled out both sides of a single sheet of paperwork, answered a few questions, got the shot and sat in the sanctuary for 15 minutes to make sure of no serious side effects.
Next month, we are told, we will go elsewhere for the second shot. Let’s hope it will be at the Eco-Center in Floyd. A possible third “booster” shot may be needed down the line because of questions about the effectiveness against variants of a virus the appears to be constantly mutating.
The Centers for Disease Controls says masks are still required, just as they are in Virginia, whenever we go out. That’s fine. We don’t leave home without wearing a mask. Kind of used to is now.
Let’s hope we are on track to return to normal.