Since March 2020, the entire world has been suffering through the COVID-19 pandemic. After a long ten months, a vaccine has finally come out to protect humans from contracting the virus. Luckily, I am a nursing student so I got the opportunity to receive the vaccine through one of my clinical sites.

Walking into the hospital, I felt a little nervous, but excited. I was nervous because I knew the vaccine was developed in a short amount of time, so I did not know if I fully trusted it. I was still excited because I felt like I was doing my part in slowly ending the pandemic that has been ruining so many lives for so long.

To continue, after checking in with the hospital staff, they have you sit in one of the many stations they have set up. The nurse that gave me the vaccine was very kind. She filled out my vaccination record card and then she gave me the vaccine. I got the Moderna vaccine. It was very quick and painless. I sat at my station with the nurse for fifteen minutes after the vaccine so that she could make sure that I was having a positive reaction to the injection.

Although my reaction at the hospital went well, later in the day, I was experiencing many of the side effects that the nurse warned me about. I had injection site soreness, body pain, headache, fatigue and chills as well. I felt like I had COVID-19 itself. Fortunately, I woke up the next day feeling perfectly fine. It was like nothing even happened! I still did have injection site soreness though.

Despite the side effects that come with the COVID-19 vaccine, I recommend anyone who has the opportunity to receive the vaccine to get it! It will protect everyone's health, and that is the number one priority during these unfortunate times. I am excited to be getting my second dose of the vaccine in three weeks!