11 March 2021

immune response at work

Got the second vaccine jab yesterday after lunch. This is nothing, I said to myself about three hours later and cycled for a short while through the rain. 

Little did she know . . . 

At around dinner time, I got the shivers and the headache.  Went to sleep. 

Woke up today with massive vertigo, more headache, nausea and possibly every other side effect in the book for the Moderna vaccine. R kindly read them all out to me in a show of concern or possibly because he's mad that he - who is so much older than me - has yet to wait for his appointment.  This is where a rare chronic illness comes up a treat for once. Not that we are competing here.

Called in sick and found out that almost all of my colleagues who got the jab yesterday are out sick as well. 

So I tried the distraction method.  It sort of worked, I continued the ongoing argument with my sister via email and tried to listen to a podcast but found it to blown up, lots of fillers and repeats, how about some editing, I shouted. 

I then tried to fall asleep listening to Colum McCann reading his latest novel Apeirogon. But no possible with this book. It sinks into your mind. Soon I was almost sobbing. 

Next, I sat down with my knitting project and spent the best part of the remaining day unraveling mistakes because, vertigo and headache. Then the nausea took over. 

Also, I got to sign this memo from the vaccine people:

If a vaccinated person comes into contact with the virus, there is a high probability that they will not get ill. At the moment, however, it is still uncertain to what extent people who have been vaccinated can still temporarily carry the virus after contact with it and infect other people. 

In such a case, a person would temporarily carry the virus, but not get sick and it is assumed that the transmission is reduced due to a lower and / or less long-lasting viral load in the nasal / throat area. 

It is also assumed that vaccination has an effect on community protection, i.e. the more people are vaccinated, the less virus circulates in the population (herd immunity). 

In this way, people could also be protected who cannot be vaccinated themselves. 

Ultimately, however, to date there is a lack of scientific knowledge to assess the extent to which the vaccination reduces transmission. As long as the infection process is as dynamic as it is at the moment, all measures should be observed to push back the pandemic and to protect all people as best as possible from infection. 

Therefore, as a precautionary measure - until further study data are available - vaccinated persons should continue to observe the infection protection measures.


 

 




7 comments:

am said...

You are on my mind. Sending love, Sabine.

(I loved hearing that old old song sung by Crispian St. Peters. I first heard it on the radio, sung by We Five, when I was 15 years old)

Ms. Moon said...

Oh, how I remember that song!
I'm so sorry you're having such a bad (good?) reaction. Please take it easy and let your body rest the best you can.

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry you are experiences all these post-vaccine #2 side effects. I hope it all goes away soon and that you are feeling better. I get my second Moderna shot on April 2nd. I'm a little worried.
So nice to be reminded of this song. Thank you for that.
Take care there.

Steve Reed said...

Sorry to hear about the vaccine reaction. That second shot is a rough one for many people, apparently. I haven't even had my first one yet! (But as you said, we're not competing!)

That message from the vaccine people is a long way of saying, "Keep wearing your mask!"

Ajax said...

Is it weird at all for you? This year everyone scrambling to fortify their immune systems while you're trying your darndest to suppress yours? Is my understanding over-simplistic?

Wish you weren't experiencing all those side-effects. Hope vaccine manufacturers will be held liable like other pharmaceutical companies in the future.

Can see the value in cost saving too, but sheesh.

Praying you feel better soon!

My life so far said...

Sigh, awful side effects meant to prevent the effects of the disease. A rock and a hard place. Glad you're covered now although the vaccine makers still aren't sure if it will protect others from us. Part of me is very glad for all of the vaccination but there is a small voice that wonders at the expense and then rush. I'm not a conspiracy theorist but it does seem like one giant experiment which I suppose it is. I guess we'll see.

Sending hugs, not real ones obviously because, COVID, but virtual hugs. Hope you feel better soon.

Linda said...

Ah Sabine, I am so very sorry that the side effects have been so rough. Hope that they have diminished by the time you read this and that you are feeling much better.