I am SO excited that a vaccine is finally here! As a health care worker, I think this is the sign we all needed that better days are coming. It came at the right time too as numbers in our area of Virginia are at an all-time high, hospitals are often full and people are sicker than ever (with Covid-19 and with the medical problems they have put off during the pandemic).
I know getting the vaccine is sometimes controversial, and I’m not here to convince or condemn anyone. I just want to reassure you that as a doctor, I did my research and I felt getting vaccinated was a safe and smart choice and I recommend it to all of my patients (even pregnant patients given the recent blessing by ACOG and SMFM!). If you want to read more, I suggest these articles/websites:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html
https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine/
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210114-covid-19-how-effective-is-a-single-vaccine-dose
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/science/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker.html
I was fortunate to be able to receive both doses of my vaccine already! I still have all the correct number of appendages and yes, I can confirm the Pfizer vaccine is iOS compatible (kidding, for those who don’t know me!). The first dose made my arm itchy for most of the day and got very sore overnight. The soreness is comparable to a Tdap or Guardasil (HPV) vaccine and a little worse than the flu vaccine but goes away in about 1 day. The second dose felt the same, the soreness came on sooner but that was all. In full disclosure I already contracted Covid-19 at the beginning of July and had a mild course so I am unsure if that has anything to do with how my body handled the vaccination. I know many colleagues who experienced a “flu-like” illness including fever and body aches that resolved in 24-48 hours with the second dose which we knew to expect, but it can make you call out from work so plan accordingly. By the way, this is not uncommon with vaccines! I warn parents that the MMR can give their children a fever for up to a week! And one of my attendings said the Shingles vaccine made him feel way worse than his second Covid-19 vaccine, and that is also common for the shingle vaccine. So the reaction does not mean the vaccine is unsafe, it just means you have a robust immune system and I take that as a good sign.
And FYI, just because I got vaccinated doesn’t mean I am going out to restaurants and walking around without a mask on. There is no good data on whether vaccinated individuals can still carry the virus and spread it to others. Plus I have little hope (sadly) that enough people will get immunized for there to be herd immunity (generally that takes a high percentage of the population, at least over 90%). So I’m still “social distancing” and I wear my mask diligently to protect others and my husband who hasn’t been offered the vaccine yet.
If you live in the Winchester to Front Royal area, Valley Health is getting everyone vaccinated in order of priority. You sign up on their website (you’ll need your insurance card and I advise you do this on a computer or laptop because it is many steps) and get assigned a date and time to come get your vaccine. You’ll need to wait 15-20 minutes after receiving your vaccine as they monitor for a reaction. Please check this page often as these clinics are filling up FAST (which is awesome!)! They also tend to be updated around Noon.
UPDATE 3/12/21: Valley Health is now using the VDH pre-registration list to schedule appointments for vaccination. To sign up visit vaccinate.virginia.gov. Those without internet should call 1-877-Vax-In-VA (877-829-4682) to pre-register.
Valley Health added this Q&A page to answer the most common questions:
And if you are pregnant and hesitant about getting the vaccine, I would recommend this article and know that both ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) as well as The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine both endorse vaccinating pregnant and breastfeeding women.
As more information about local vaccination becomes available, I’ll make sure to share that here!
Dr. Stephanie LaFave 
I’m glad you got vaccinated! Take care and stay safe!
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