At 4:10 p.m. Wednesday, February 17, young Dominican Nataly Santana arrived at a medical center in Colchester County, United Kingdom, to receive her first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine made by the University of Oxford.
The appointment started half an hour later, at 4:40 am, but she decided to arrive earlier to join a Brazilian friend who, like her, had the same goal. These two young women are part of the more than 16 million people who have received the vaccine to help reduce the spread of the pandemic in the country.
Santana, 25, received a text message on Monday, February 15, two days before the vaccination. At first I thought it was a scam as several criminal organizations have been reported in recent months taking advantage of the vaccination days to take advantage. However, after researching the internet, she realized it was true and that although she was not part of a priority group, she would soon be vaccinated.
“When I saw it, I swore it was a scam, I didn’t want to open the link. So in the end I googled the NHS page which says to be careful about scams. But this text message did not ask me for identity or money, all they asked when opening the link was my date of birth and that confirmed my identity. I had the options of medical centers and appointments. I booked the closest one, ”says Santana, who is following her Masters degree in Essex, South East England.
According to official information from the National Health Service in England (NHS) -National Health Service for its acronym in EnglishBetween January and February 15 of this year, the priority groups were caregivers of people over 80 years old, health professionals, adults between 75 and 79 years old, then 70 to 74 years old, and finally clinically vulnerable people. Currently and until the end of April, the priority groups are people between 65 and 69 years old, 16 to 64 years with health problems, 60 to 64 years old, 55 to 59 years old and 50 to 54 years old respectively. . The entire adult population of the United Kingdom, which consists of four countries: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, is expected to be vaccinated in the autumn.
When Nataly entered the center, there were only a few relatively young people, then a man with a disability sat down and then another adult man. The profile of those present was varied.
As she told Listín Diario, the nurse confirmed her personal details when it was her turn and asked why she had been called up for the vaccine. Nataly replied that she did not know the reasons. After this trial came the moment of truth. According to the official vaccination document given to him, a colorless, particle-free solution was provided. “It didn’t hurt at all (the vaccine),” he said.
The Astrazeneca portal states that the protection rate of the first dose is more than 70 percent. Also that could reduce the transmission of Covid-19 by up to 67 percent.
After receiving the dose, the nurse explained to him the possible symptoms he could develop hours after the vaccination and gave him a card with his name, the date of the injection and the vaccine number. “She told me I might be feeling tired, getting chills and a headache.” After the procedure, she only felt some chills and pain in the arm where she was vaccinated. You will receive the second dose in twelve weeks.
Nataly is happy and hopeful after a year of pandemic. He noted that he was in the Dominican Republic until September 2020, taking extra precautions to care for his comorbid family members.
“The vaccine gives hope, but every now and then a new variant is discovered and it is not known whether the vaccines fight every strain. But at least you feel that we are going somewhere, we are not stagnant, ”Santana said.
On Thursday, more than four million cases had been reported in the UK, 12,000 of which were reported in the previous day. In the UK, an average of 119,000 people have died from Covid-19.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has imposed the strictest national detention since March 2020 since early January. The restrictive measures are expected to be reviewed in the coming weeks. Since then, non-core businesses such as shops, restaurants, cafes, gyms and even educational centers have closed their doors.
Astrazeneca Vaccine Precautions
According to the Covid-19 Astrazeneca vaccine information document, it is advisable to inform the doctor, pharmacist or nurse before proceeding with any vaccination if you have had an allergic reaction to any other vaccine; if you have a severe infection with a temperature above 38 degrees or if your immune system is not working properly or you have been taking medicines that weaken the immune system.
Dominican kindergarten teacher
Paola Amaro, a 20-year-old Dominican, did not expect to be vaccinated on Saturday morning, February 13, in the gym of Olathe Northwest High School in Kansas, United States.
When entering the room, everyone was wearing masks, but their temperature was not measured. He had to show identification to verify his identity and confirm the appointment. Then they sent her to a table where she received some documents with information about the Pfizer vaccine and also filled out a form with personal information and medical history. The side effects of the Pfizer vaccine include pain in the injection area, fatigue, headache and fever, details from the NHS website.
“My favorite song in the world, The Scientist from Coldplay, played and they gave me the first dose of the vaccine, a phosphorite mamey band, which I still have as a souvenir, and they sent me to a room for about fifteen minutes. in case I gave it an allergic reaction. I sat there and they kept putting on Coldplay songs like ‘Yellow’, ”said Amaro.
Amaro received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine because she is a kindergarten teacher at an educational center in Kansas, a profession that was considered a priority in that state during the second phase of vaccination.
At the school where she works, thirteen members have been vaccinated: the principal, her assistant and a curriculum specialist. Then to teachers who switch between courses as they interact daily with more than 250 children and other people who have been considered for this stage due to their age or medical condition.
“My class is the smallest in the entire school. We are two teachers per class, but my partner declined the vaccine for personal reasons. At the time of my course, it was my assistant’s turn, but she couldn’t go to the appointment, ”Amaro said.
When she was vaccinated, she felt no fear or any discomfort. “It didn’t hurt, I started to cry but not because it hurt, it was from happiness. At the time, I just thought it would allow my kids to see my face, kiss my students, see me with my friends. It didn’t hurt, but I did start screaming, I felt hope for the first time in a whole year, ”she said excitedly.
An analysis of the Pfizer vaccine shows that it is 95 percent effective against Covid-19 at least 28 days after administration of the first dose. While in adults over 65 years of age, the chance was greater than 94 percent. The company’s official records state that they could produce more than 1.3 billion doses by 2021.
The United States has recorded an average of 27 million coronavirus cases and 490,000 deaths. In Kansas, they reported 288,717, a figure that represents 1 percent of those infected in that country.
