Andile, an expatriate nurse at a hospital in the US state of Maryland, who received his first dose of the Moderna vaccine on December 21, said he was kept for 15 minutes for medical observation before he was allowed to go home.
The nurse, originally from Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, told Sowetan yesterday about his experiences when he took the shot, which is being rolled out to health workers in the US.
“I chose to go to a pharmacy because they are independent and I didn't want a biased opinion. I was given a booklet with a list of ingredients used to manufacture the Moderna vaccine to cheque if I was allergic to any of them. I then took the shot and was told to sit at the pharmacy for a 15-minute medical observation to cheque for any negative reactions,” he said.
He showed no complications and was allowed to go home.
“I was then told to come back after two days for further medical cheques. On the third day, I started going to the gym and I was expecting to feel tired early since tiredness is part of the side effects. I did my routine without any problems and I finished. So far, I have not experienced anything out of the norm,” he said, adding that some time after he started exercising he started experiencing slight headaches.
He said he researched the vaccines available in the US and did not panic when he got the headaches, which have disappeared.
Andile, who has been in the US since 2012, is due for the second jab next week.
He said his reason for taking the vaccine was to save his young children and his wife.
Dr Sangxa Rozani, who works at a hospital in Manchester, England, took the vaccine shot on Tuesday after it was rolled out to medical workers in the UK at the weekend. He survived Covid-19 after testing positive last month.
“The scary thing for me was not knowing how my body would react if I get Covid-19 again. I was not willing to take that chance. I had a prior conversation with my family and we all agreed that if it [a vaccine] becomes available, I’d take it.”
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Rozani has been fine since taking the vaccination two days ago but he also started feeling a slight headache and discomfort on the Right side, which is where the vaccine was injected.
The health workers believe that conspiracy theories against vaccination are delaying the fight against the virus.
“South Africans need to not entertain vaccine jokes about 666, 5G and population altering. People are dying in big numbers out there and this virus needs to be taken seriously. The government must act against leaders who are feeding the public with nonsense,” said Rozani.
Andile said his employer empowered him with loads of information before he took the jab.
“I work for one of the top medical research hospitals in the US and I knew what I was getting myself into. Even the cleaners here are better educated about the vaccine compared to some of my South African friends who are peddling conspiracies on social media.”
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