I got Pfizered

In the name of civic duty and national security, I had registered for the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it was made available to my age group. Unfortunately, the centres near my home were unavailable during selection. So, I resigned myself to going to the next closest area which was Woodlands CC.

However, two days ago, a Redditor announced the new availability of Pfizer vaccines; I read that slots had opened up across the island. Joy! I took the opportunity to reschedule myself for the nearest centre this Saturday (19 June), 2.30pm. Plenty of Yishun CC slots were open. Praise the skies!

I reached the venue at 2.10pm. I was too lazy to take pictures of the venue. I must say though: The clinical efficiency of the entire vaccination process cannot be overstated. Had I walked into the centre in a slumber, I’d have believed that the folks stationed for admin and vaccine duties had electricity coursing through their wired veins.

People streamed in and out like packaged goods on a conveyor system. I waltzed in and was immediately directed to a registration counter and shuffled straight to the jab as soon as I gotten back my NRIC. The fella who was due to jab me asked me for my name and NRIC number–as was the SOP, I suppose.

Have you been vaccinated in the last 14 days? Do you have any food or drug allergies? Have you experienced any severe reactions to this or that? Will the ground fall upwards? No. No. No. Maybe, tomorrow will tell.

He asked if I feared needles. No. Curiosity led me to ask what would happen had I said yes. I learned that you would be led to another room and personnel would attend to you in case you fainted.

Anyway, my jab was over before I could even finish reading the contents of the posters on the makeshift walls. It felt like someone pricked you with a biting, focused, pain all directed at your left arm for 3 seconds. Then it was over.

The folks manning the stations will quiz you on things. Unfortunately, you don’t get to collect $200 or pass go. You do get a pack of disposable masks and a bottle of hand sanitiser before exiting the CC. Yay for free stuff!

Get jab, get goodies. 😀

Update: I reached home at about 2.35pm. Went to bed, and woke up at 4pm for a toilet break. Now, I had read about the side effects of vaccines, and I experienced 2: A sore arm and giddiness that I could only describe as being extremely drunk.

Update #2: One day after the jab, my left hand still feels sore. Imagine you abstaining from exercise for a decade. Then, you pick up a badminton racket and exert yourself for a good hour of shuttlecock-smashing fun. You go to sleep and wake up the next day unable to scratch your back with your hands. Yeah.

Standing up throws me off balance. I suppose I am experiencing general nausea. But, this is simply my body reacting towards the vaccine–I’ll take these effects over contracting COVID-19, thank you very much.

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