After nearly a full year of self-isolation and intermittent quarantines. When the opportunity presented itself to get vaccinated I jumped on it immediately. I have been following the vaccine news for many months, waiting for an opportunity to get it myself. When it was announced that the vaccine is going to be available to the public after such a short time, of course, I had some concerns. Those were alleviated by the CDC and the studies produced by each brand. When my appointment came, I was nothing but excited to do my part to help us get over this pandemic.

Getting an appointment was the hardest step, they go quickly and there are limited options available. Personally, I was able to get the Moderna, which is two shots over four weeks. I drove about an hour and waited for another to receive my shot. I didn’t mind traveling a little bit outside of Austin for the opportunity. Living in such a populated area makes it harder to secure an appointment because of the sheer number of people trying to reserve their spot.

I experienced absolutely no side effects from the first shot and felt like I was on top of the world. After all of this uncertainty and fear it was nice to know that, in my own personal way, I was almost done. My second shot was scheduled exactly four weeks following my first at the same location and time. It was an automatically scheduled appointment which made it easy for me to schedule and plan around. Like other people, I did experience mild side effects after my second dose. They resolved within 24 hours and was nothing I couldn’t handle. Mild chills and a headache seem like a small price to pay to be protected from COVID-19.

I had a great experience getting my vaccine. The medical staff was very helpful and willing to explain every part of the process. Additionally, the relief I felt after completing both doses was unmatched. We are still in a pandemic and I will continue to follow guidelines but, knowing that I’ve done my part to help us get out of this is a great feeling.