Last updated on April 16, 2021
Halle Coleman
Managing editor
I am officially a vaccinated woman. Well partially. On March 19 I received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine on the campus of Jackson State University.
Choosing to receive the vaccine was not an easy decision. Like many, I worried about the safety, long-term affects, and efficiency of the shot. It took thorough research for me to conclude about what I was going to do with my body.
Here is what is known about the available Covid-19 vaccinations. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Covid-19 vaccines teach our immune system how to recognize and fight the virus that causes Covid-19. It typically takes two weeks after vaccination for the body to build protection or immunity against the virus that causes Covid-19.
That means there is a possibility a person could still get Covid-19 before or just after vaccination and then get sick because the vaccine did not have enough time to provide protection. People are considered fully protected two weeks after their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, or two weeks after the single-dose Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Covid-19 vaccine.
When considering if to get the vaccine, I feel as if it’s important to know the pros and cons of all three options. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are currently the most popular and effective.
According the CDC, they are both made using messenger RNA, or mRNA, a technology that delivers a bit of genetic code to cells to make the surface protein (known as spike) on the SARS-2 virus. The proteins made with the mRNA instructions activate the immune system and teach it to see the spike protein as foreign and develop antibodies and other immunity weapons with which to fight it.
The J&J vaccine uses a different approach to instruct human cells to make the SARS-2 spike protein. It is what is known as a viral vectored vaccine. A harmless adenovirus, from a large family of viruses, some of which cause common colds, has been engineered to carry the genetic code for the SARS-2 spike protein. Once the adenovirus enters cells, they use that code to make spike proteins.
All three-vaccination options result in side effects. Whether or not you experience them is up to your body. After receiving my first dose, I did experience side effects. I had a slight headache, which was tolerable, but the soreness at the injection site is what bothered me the most. For two days, it hurt to lie, bend, or lift my arm.
However, I did not experience any serious side effects that most people fear. I did not feel nauseous, pass out, have a rapid heartbeat, or anything else that is related to a serious illness or disease.
Who is to say that this vaccine will have long-term side effects? I guess we will have to wait and see. I receive my second and final dose on April 19. Hopefully as more citizens get vaccinated, a sense of normalcy will return to campus and to the country.
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