Booster shot: Done

I can't believe that we are already in the 8th month of the year 2022. It all seems to go by so fast. I arrived here in Japan on the last week of November last year, and now, as I look back, I can't help but feel bittersweet because I only have a few months more of staying here.

Anyway, I just wanna share with you my experience in getting my COVID-19 vaccine here in Japan. Before I came here, I was able to get a vaccine in the Philippines in June and July 2021. I got the Sinovac, because it is the available vaccine at that time, and you know, as they say, better to be vaccinated than not at all.

When I came to Japan, I heard that they do not recognize Sinovac here. But still, I printed out the e-certificate telling that I got vaccinated already. It wasn't a requirement that time, but I still printed it anynways. I have the tendency to "overly" prepare, in Filipino "sigurista lang" kind of attitude.

So, many months had passed and I receive a post mail from the city hall inviting its residents to take the vaccine. Since I know that my Sinovac vaccine is not recognized, I opted to register for the free vaccination care of the city hall. It was February of this year that I was able to get my first does of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Going to the venue is the easiest part, however, filling out the forms were the worst since I have only begun learning Nihongo as few months, I cannot converse using the language that much. In the registration form, I had to include if I got my vaccination already, and since I already had one, I have to put it... which turned out to be confusing as it is. Thus, I tried to converse with them and explain that I already got the vaccine in the Philippines but I know Japan government does not recognize it.. simple, right? But I had a hard time translating and putting it into Japanese words.

But I still was able to continue, they somewhat understood what I was trying to say. Thank God!

Before getting the actual vaccine, (by the way, it was Pfizer this time around) we had to consult with a doctor... and then thankfully the person who assisted me in the registration process directed me towards a doctor who can speak English! That was a relief. A few more moments and I was beginnig to converse with him. I told him about what I have been telling the other staff from the beginning. He cleared me and I was directed to the line waiting for my vaccination when suddenly, he approached me again, and stopped me from getting the vaccine.

And I was like... what?

He told me to wait for a second and he's gonna discuss my situation with other doctors, medical practitioners around. I was kinda getting nervous, thinking did I do something wrong? Why does it take too long?

And then he approached me, with the registration form and told me that the vaccine I took in the Philippines is not recognized, so I should change the ones I input in the registration form. Well, it was plain and simple. And then I got my vaccine after.

The day after my vaccination, I didn't feel any side effects. I was able to attend our online class that time. However, in the evening, I began to feel the symptoms of the side-effect. I had a headache and also a fever. So, the next morning, I told my sensei that I was not going to attend even the online classes because of what I was feeling.

After three weeks, I was scheduled for the second dose of the vaccine. I went there and it was smoother than the first one, we don't need to consult much with the doctor, maybe because it's the second dose already.

The next day, I told my sensei that I would like to skip classes so that I can rest and not experience the fever and headache that I had experienced from before. Thankfully, I did not have any fever or other symptoms the next day, even the day after.

So, two weeks ago, I received a post mail from the city hall again informing me that I can already get the booster shot. All along, I thought that we can only get it after 8 months, but they clarified that we can already get the booster shot 5 months after the last vaccination. So, I was able to schedule my vaccination yesterday, in a different clinic, at 9:30 am.

So, I went there and arrived earlier. I was waiting at the waiting area, and at 9:30, I was called to receive the vaccine. At 9:31, I was already heading out back to the waiting area. They needed to observe me for 15 more minutes before I can get out of the clinic. I did not feel anything unusual, so I was let go at around 9:45.

I did not go straight home yet, because there was a supermarket nearby and I wanted to do a little bit of grocery shopping. And so I went. I was able to arrive home at around 11:30. I then ate my lunch and took some rest. I even drank medicine to counterattack the possible side-effects that I might be feeling.

I still did not feel anything unusual, I was able to sleep for a little while but had to wake up because of a call from my friend. In the evening, I began to feel a bit of a headache while preparing dinner. I ate and celebrated the birthday of one of our dormmates. And finally told them I wish to go to bed sooner. But before that I took a bath first.

After taking a bath, I sensed the change in what I feel. I began feeling a terrible headache. I began feeling chilly, so I took put on socks. I checked my temperature and it was a bit higher than normal - 37.8 degrees Celsius.

I tried to sleep it off but at around 2am, I woke up feeling uneasy and checked my body temperature, it has risen to 38.2 degrees Celsius already. Still feeling headache, my vaccineted arm is painful and even my whole body was aching.

I tried to doze it off again.

I was able to but then in the morning, when I woke up, I still have headache. It was getting worse. :( I know I can't take medicine with an empty stomach, so I ate a piece of a cookie to be able to drink my medicine, and then, sleep it off again.

At around 11am, I was feeling better, no more headaches but body pain's still here, it's actually up until now. But I was able to prepare for my lunch, just ate tuna sandwich and coffee.

I wish that this feeling gonna be gone sooner. I don't want to feel a bit dysfunctional for a long time. But I am still grateful that I was able to get a total of 5 doses of COVID-19 vaccines. 2 unofficial (from the Philippines), and 3 from here (2 Pfizer, 1 Moderna).

So, if you haven't had any vaccines yet, please get one as soon as possible. It maybe a discomfort, but it will help you big time. :)