COVID VACCINE - The Megathread

Would you get the Pfizer vaccine if it were available to you?


  • Total voters
    77

Kavsuvb

Forum Captain
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I'm curious about how you've been able to overcome being completely deaf to work as a firefighter/emt?
I make due with alot of assisted technology like amplify stethoscope, Live transcribe apps. Technology is out there to make it easy for deaf folks to work in EMS and Fire. I use one app called Live transcribe to be able to understand what they are saying. I also have an Iphone that has tons of apps that help people like me out.
 

Kavsuvb

Forum Captain
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Just so I have a clear understanding, you don’t have a scientific reason to present beyond the reported recommendation by your physicians?
It's based on what my doctor's are telling me and everyone is different and you would have to talk to your doctor and see if they are ok with you in getting the Vaccine.
 

Kavsuvb

Forum Captain
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28

Kavsuvb

Forum Captain
291
48
28
Here's the Video for NORD
 

Peak

ED/Prehospital Registered Nurse
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Here's an example of why people with Rare diseases have so much concern over the vaccine

1: That is a non-scholarly opinion/article.

2: While an extremely rare antecedent to GBS there is some theory that a vaccination may precipitate it. You cannot simply lump all “rare diseases” together and expect a similar clinical presentation, outcome, or risk stratification.
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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It's based on what my doctor's are telling me and everyone is different and you would have to talk to your doctor and see if they are ok with you in getting the Vaccine.
Listen to your doctor, as they know your particular situation. You might have some weird stuff going on, and your doctor might not be comfortable with you getting the vaccine, however that doesn't mean there is any reason not for you to take the vaccine, other than your doctor is not comfortable. And you should listen to your doctor, but also ask questions, as I do think some of the points made are valid (mRNA is translated in the rough ER, so even if your DNA is abnormal, the vaccine shouldn't have any effect on it). But also think of what can happen if you catch the virus, and what it will do to your body. Its your choice, but there are risks to both options.

I'm scheduled for shot #2 a week from Tuesday. I've heard the following day or two suck, but I am also looking to do some traveling for work out of state in May, and some vacation in November, and want to be as protected as possible.

@DrParasite In my county, EMTs still cannot give epinephrine IM. Until last year, they couldn't even check blood sugars. This vaccine is the first time they could give any sort of injection. Rhode Island EMTs might have a bigger scope of practice than California paramedics.
Wow, I did not know that. NJ EMTs have been able to give EpiPens for almost 13 years, and I know we were behind several other states on that one. I can't speak for Rhode Island EMTs, but North Carolina EMTs have been able to do that too (we actually carry epi 1:1000 and an insulin needle, because it's so much cheaper and easier to replace than an epi pen; and before you ask, yes, some of our city FFs still find ways to screw it up, but I chalk that up to being over-eager FFs, not due to lack of training)
 

Aprz

The New Beach Medic
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Listen to your doctor, as they know your particular situation. You might have some weird stuff going on, and your doctor might not be comfortable with you getting the vaccine, however that doesn't mean there is any reason not for you to take the vaccine, other than your doctor is not comfortable. And you should listen to your doctor, but also ask questions, as I do think some of the points made are valid (mRNA is translated in the rough ER, so even if your DNA is abnormal, the vaccine shouldn't have any effect on it). But also think of what can happen if you catch the virus, and what it will do to your body. Its your choice, but there are risks to both options.

I'm scheduled for shot #2 a week from Tuesday. I've heard the following day or two suck, but I am also looking to do some traveling for work out of state in May, and some vacation in November, and want to be as protected as possible.


Wow, I did not know that. NJ EMTs have been able to give EpiPens for almost 13 years, and I know we were behind several other states on that one. I can't speak for Rhode Island EMTs, but North Carolina EMTs have been able to do that too (we actually carry epi 1:1000 and an insulin needle, because it's so much cheaper and easier to replace than an epi pen; and before you ask, yes, some of our city FFs still find ways to screw it up, but I chalk that up to being over-eager FFs, not due to lack of training)
My area has always been always very saturated with paramedics and a lot of hospitals close by. There has been very little reason to let both paramedics and EMTs be able to do anything unfortunately.
 
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FlorianFred

Forum Probie
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With my first dose of Modena, just had some injection site soreness that lasted 36 hours after the injection.

With my second dose, I also had similar injection site soreness but with myalgias, fatigue, subjective chills and fever, and this very weird chest soreness that kept me awake overnight on day one. Most of that resolved by 24 hours
My experience closely mirrors yours, with the exception of the chest soreness. My 1st Moderna shot on Dec 28th and 2nd shot on Jan 25.
 

Jim37F

Forum Deputy Chief
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Just got my second shot (Moderna). Finished the 15 min evaluation time, mayybbee a bit of a sore throat developing, maybe just my imagination lol.

No arm soreness even, unlike my first dose.

Its funny, the vaccine administration site is in my stations first in district, and yesterday we actually responded to a guy who had a syncopal episode during his post shot 15 min eval time. By the time we got on scene, he was already awake and talking to the AMR Medic unit on standby.

All we ended up doing was transferring him to a City&County EMS unit for transport (why AMR didn't just transport idk. Guess they decided to keep them for standby and since a City EMS unit was already there...

As far as I'm aware no one else has had any similar negative reactions at this site (at least not any generating a response from us), and yeah I feel fine so far.
 

FiremanMike

Just a dude
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My second shot was yesterday.. woke up last night at about 4am and felt like I had fallen out of a tree..

spent most of the day lounging around the house.. I’m mostly back to normal now, some mild body aches remain but I’m up and moving now..
 

Akulahawk

EMT-P/ED RN
Community Leader
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As I write this, I'm now about 4 days post 2nd injection of the Pfizer/BnT vaccine. I had a little bit of numbness for less than 1 hour after the injection and after that, a palpable but not very sore bump at my injection site. This persists to today, it's not sore at all unless I push on it a bit, and it's a firm bump, but otherwise I have no lingering symptoms. I may have had a very minor vaccine reaction about 15 hours afterward with a very mild, subjective fever, but never any chills, body aches, or anything like that. If I did have COVID19 a week or so ago, I would have had a much, much stronger response to the 2nd shot than I did. At this point, I'm mostly convinced that I probably had some kind of infection, but not COVID19, the flu, or even possibly a cold. Whatever it was, I was definitely in and out of SIRS for a couple-three days for sure. Now I'm back to my usual self.

I figure that in about another week, I'll be as protected against COVID19 as I will likely ever be...
 

NomadicMedic

I know a guy who knows a guy.
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3 hours post 2nd Moderna. A little arm soreness. In the middle of moving to a new house before a snow storm hits. I don’t have time for vax reactions.
 

CCCSD

Forum Deputy Chief
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24 hrs post Moderna. Arm still sore at injection point. Had a slight headache last night. Tylenol took care of it.
 

Jim37F

Forum Deputy Chief
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I'm right about 24hrs post second Moderna shot. Arm soreness at the injection site developed as the day went on and is still around. Nothing major, and is pretty much the only thing I still notice.

Yesterday afternoon I felt.... wonky I believe is the official term? lol Kinda of a minor general malaise, kinda about the same as the day after a shift where we would keep getting calls in the middle of the night. I did notice a bit of a scratchy throat, just that vague "I might be coming down with something" feeling. I was also fairly thirsty. Ended up crashing around 7pm, taking like a 3 hour nap, waking up just to shut everything down and go to bed proper, slept in, woke up just fine, just the arm soreness. And even that is really only there if I think about it, poke my arm, etc lol

My Captain, who got his shot a few hours before me, did report that he woke up in the middle of the night with chills and feeling feverish, but he felt fine just grabbing an extra blanket he said. By morning that had resolved. Our Engineer only reported minor tiredness and a bit of a headache, but nothing major.

So probably not the worst idea my department had to schedule our shots on our day off (getting off shift). But ultimately I feel like I can go work a shift right now and be just fine
 

FlorianFred

Forum Probie
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7
3
I'm right about 24hrs post second Moderna shot. Arm soreness at the injection site developed as the day went on and is still around. Nothing major, and is pretty much the only thing I still notice.

Yesterday afternoon I felt.... wonky I believe is the official term? lol Kinda of a minor general malaise, kinda about the same as the day after a shift where we would keep getting calls in the middle of the night. I did notice a bit of a scratchy throat, just that vague "I might be coming down with something" feeling. I was also fairly thirsty. Ended up crashing around 7pm, taking like a 3 hour nap, waking up just to shut everything down and go to bed proper, slept in, woke up just fine, just the arm soreness. And even that is really only there if I think about it, poke my arm, etc lol

My Captain, who got his shot a few hours before me, did report that he woke up in the middle of the night with chills and feeling feverish, but he felt fine just grabbing an extra blanket he said. By morning that had resolved. Our Engineer only reported minor tiredness and a bit of a headache, but nothing major.

So probably not the worst idea my department had to schedule our shots on our day off (getting off shift). But ultimately I feel like I can go work a shift right now and be just fine
I followed your Captain's path with my second shot. You had the reaction I was hoping for, but my chills/fever thing wasn't horrible, and so far my station's reactions seem to run the same range as your station's: "felt a little off", "really enjoyed my sleep", "had a naggy headache but killed it with Excedrin" and "woke up with chills and a mild fever, but a blanket and a few hours of sleep made it go away". Net net, not an awful experience.
 

NomadicMedic

I know a guy who knows a guy.
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good thing you’re getting a tractor to clear the snow...

I bought a self propelled snow blower instead. And 24 hours later, I feel fine. Woke up with chills about 5 this morning, but I think that was a lack of blankets and temp management in the new house. My arm is sore but no worse than the flu vaccine. Luckily, I dodged a bullet with both the move during a blizzard and a nasty vaccine reaction.
 
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Tigger

Dodges Pucks
Community Leader
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I felt awful after my second moderna shot. Arrived at the fire academy at 545 which didn’t help but I barely remember the day I felt so fatigued and sore. No fever but ripping headache. Was in bed at like 730. Next day was fine.
 

akflightmedic

Forum Deputy Chief
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I had my 2nd Moderna this past Thursday. I had site injection soreness x 24 hours. The night of the injection, I "felt sick"...not symptomatic, but just that internal I do not feel well, I will have full on cold soon type of sick feeling. Drank a few rum juice cocktails, slept great. Next day, no issues.
 
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