“Of all the rooms, they could have put me in, I ended up in one labelled Psychiatric! “
AZPNews.com Assignments Editor Sue-Ann Wayow, a frontline journalist covering news in the trenches, describes her experience in taking the AstraZeneca jab on Saturday.
I BARELY give applause but when I do, you can be sure a pretty good job was done.
And I would actually like to give the management and staff of the Couva Medical and Multi-Training Facility, a standing ovation for a job well done, at giving me a hopefully life-saving stick to the arm.
Yes, I got my Covid-19 vaccine on Saturday at 10.32am to be exact.
Three hours later and I am still breathing.
So without trying to step on any political toes and without breaching confidentiality, here is a brief summary of my hour-long experience at the facility that was originally designed to be a children’s hospital.
Couva Hospital and Multi-Training Facility. Azlan Mohammed/AZP News
It was no surprise then, that when I skipped into the extremely cleaned and sanitised facility, I was eventually greeted by a staff member sitting in front of a large Elmo photograph.
But before that, I was pleasantly surprised to see a mobile Ritual’s coffee outlet set up in front.
Back to inside the hospital.
All personnel met, including security guards were most friendly and helpful, offering key information and guidance throughout the entire process. If I could list all of their names, I would.
I partly wondered if I had to wait, given that my name was already submitted to the Ministry of Health thanks to the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT).
After ensuring that I was who I said I was, I was given a short form to fill out and then afterwards ushered into the area where I would meet the dreaded needle filled with my first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
This vaccine was in the batch received by the COVAX facility.
Getting the vaccine was not a problem. Getting stuck by a sharp object willfully was.
Of all the rooms, they could have put me in, I ended up in one labelled Psychiatric!
I laughed and told the nurse, “They didn’t have to make certain things so obvious!”
The physical process took roughly five seconds if so much. Please don’t ask me about the needle or how much vaccine was placed, I did not want to see. All I know, I felt a sharp, piercing pain in my upper left arm for those excruciating seconds. After that, I was back to as normal as I could be.
Was instructed to go an observatory area for 30 minutes which for me was a bit too long to sit and seemingly do nothing.
I engaged in conversation with the staff and other persons to pass the time. Was offered fruits, tea, coffee and water from a table. I eventually took a banana upon exit.
I don’t know if two days from now, I may be able to write a sequel. I am scheduled to return for my second dose on July 17.
All jokes aside, my experience may not be the like others I have heard about.
I am not even certain if I would be immune to the virus.
My perspective, “Wearing a seatbelt does not guarantee it would save my life in the event of an accident, but it may reduce the risk of death.”
That is the same way I feel about the getting the vaccine amidst all the controversies, concerns and fears.
Like everything medical, there are side effects. I believe mine was extreme hunger.
If by Monday, you continue to see articles by Sue-Ann Wayow here on AZPNews.com, you can be assured that I survived. And more than likely, I believe, so will you.
I’m Still Breathing After My Covid-19 Vaccine
“Of all the rooms, they could have put me in, I ended up in one labelled Psychiatric! “
AZPNews.com Assignments Editor Sue-Ann Wayow, a frontline journalist covering news in the trenches, describes her experience in taking the AstraZeneca jab on Saturday.
I BARELY give applause but when I do, you can be sure a pretty good job was done.
And I would actually like to give the management and staff of the Couva Medical and Multi-Training Facility, a standing ovation for a job well done, at giving me a hopefully life-saving stick to the arm.
Yes, I got my Covid-19 vaccine on Saturday at 10.32am to be exact.
Three hours later and I am still breathing.
So without trying to step on any political toes and without breaching confidentiality, here is a brief summary of my hour-long experience at the facility that was originally designed to be a children’s hospital.
It was no surprise then, that when I skipped into the extremely cleaned and sanitised facility, I was eventually greeted by a staff member sitting in front of a large Elmo photograph.
But before that, I was pleasantly surprised to see a mobile Ritual’s coffee outlet set up in front.
Back to inside the hospital.
All personnel met, including security guards were most friendly and helpful, offering key information and guidance throughout the entire process. If I could list all of their names, I would.
I partly wondered if I had to wait, given that my name was already submitted to the Ministry of Health thanks to the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT).
After ensuring that I was who I said I was, I was given a short form to fill out and then afterwards ushered into the area where I would meet the dreaded needle filled with my first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
This vaccine was in the batch received by the COVAX facility.
Getting the vaccine was not a problem. Getting stuck by a sharp object willfully was.
Of all the rooms, they could have put me in, I ended up in one labelled Psychiatric!
I laughed and told the nurse, “They didn’t have to make certain things so obvious!”
The physical process took roughly five seconds if so much. Please don’t ask me about the needle or how much vaccine was placed, I did not want to see. All I know, I felt a sharp, piercing pain in my upper left arm for those excruciating seconds. After that, I was back to as normal as I could be.
Was instructed to go an observatory area for 30 minutes which for me was a bit too long to sit and seemingly do nothing.
I engaged in conversation with the staff and other persons to pass the time. Was offered fruits, tea, coffee and water from a table. I eventually took a banana upon exit.
I don’t know if two days from now, I may be able to write a sequel. I am scheduled to return for my second dose on July 17.
All jokes aside, my experience may not be the like others I have heard about.
I am not even certain if I would be immune to the virus.
My perspective, “Wearing a seatbelt does not guarantee it would save my life in the event of an accident, but it may reduce the risk of death.”
That is the same way I feel about the getting the vaccine amidst all the controversies, concerns and fears.
Like everything medical, there are side effects. I believe mine was extreme hunger.
If by Monday, you continue to see articles by Sue-Ann Wayow here on AZPNews.com, you can be assured that I survived. And more than likely, I believe, so will you.
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