COVID-19 is a real danger. It has been in the news every day for more than a year. There is constant update on Twitter about how many cases are diagnosed each day, how many deaths, and how overcrowded our healthcare facilities are.
I see and read about these things on a daily basis but it wasn't until both parents of a friend passed away from this disease that it really sunk in. I knew it was real before, but now it felt frightening. Anyone could get it. Even her parents. And my parents. Or even me.
By the time the first opt-in vaccination programme for the public was rolled out, I was already signed up and ready to get my first dose of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine. It was chaotic when it kick-started.
Some people were confident about it, while others were skeptical. There was talk about negative side effects although people seemed to overlook the fact that the chances of dying from Covid-19 were a lot higher than the risk of getting blood clots from the vaccine.
Conspiracy theories were thrown about. Could this mass vaccination be part of a bigger political plot to destroy a certain group of people? The anti-vaccine community ran amok, questioning the sources of the vaccines and whether or not they were even necessary.
I was generally on board with getting vaccinated, although I admit there was a small part of me that was a little hesitant, pondering on the things that could go wrong.
But in the end, I convinced myself that I had been watching too many sci-fi films where people get turned into human-lizard hybrids or some kind of ghastly creature from an injection of sorts.
POSITIVE SIGN
So off I went to get my anticipated shot. My vaccination was done at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, in the middle of our bustling capital. I wasn't sure what to expect, although by the end of it I was pleasantly surprised with the efficiency of the entire process.
Everyone was civilised, the waiting time was short and medical personnel were swift and professional. Better yet, I saw many volunteers helping to manage the crowd, and I was in awe at the goodness of people.
It's a high-risk job to be a volunteer for this programme, meeting a lot of people and getting exposed to possible infections, and yet here they were, these amazing civilians who only wanted to be part of a positive change in our communities. If you're reading this and you're one of them, we all thank you.
I felt considerably fine the entire day after my vaccination, but the next day I did have mild fever and aching joints, which, I was told by the doctor, were common side effects. It was nothing a couple of paracetamol tablets, a few hours of sleep and a cup of ginger tea couldn't fix and I was lucky that my company allowed all staff two days' leave to recuperate post-vaccination. I wish more companies would be as considerate to their employees.
More importantly, none of my paranoia about science experiments gone wrong came true, especially now that it has been more than two weeks since my jab.
VACCINATION WORKS
In the past month I have had the privilege of reading interesting success stories of the vaccine. But on the other end of the spectrum, cases are rising by the day, fatalities are increasing and people are losing loved ones.
As much as I am glad to have a sense of security with my jab, it is sad to think of those who have yet to receive theirs, or worse, did not manage to get it in time before contracting the virus.
One can only hope that everyone is able to get protected as soon as possible, and that more awareness is created by the government to educate everyone about the benefits of vaccination and to dispel misinformation and doubts about them.
I can't wait for the day when all of us can finally feel safe again, and be able to resume our lives with no threats from this cruel, undiscriminating virus.
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