Like I said in my previous article, it is not easy to get the vaccine against covid-19. It took a long time and I even went through hoops just to have it. What's worse, I recently had an unpleasant experience, which I previously shared as well. So, after all of that humiliation, I decided to give up and wait forever for the health officials to visit our house and put us on the waiting list. I expected to receive the vaccine sometime next year.

Weeks passed and I was taking care of some documents needed for my job. I was supposed to submit a barangay clearance as proof of residency for my job application but it is hard to obtain one from the barangay where I work as a volunteer teacher. So I decided to obtain one from where I grew up. We have a lot of relatives there so getting one is a piece of cake. I sent a message to my mom's friend who works in that barangay to make a clearance for me and I'd drop by to get it. When she told me that it is ready for pick up, I immediately went there. But to my surprise, there's a lot of people and I can't even recognize the faces.

There are also barangay police stationed near the gate, who refused to let me in when I attempted to do so. I inquire as to what is going on because I have no idea why they refuse to let me in. That's when I learned there was a vaccination currently happening. So I told the barangay police to let me in because I'm not getting vaccinated, I have an appointment with the barangay secretary, and I'll be going inside the hall rather than the covered court. They're still apprehensive, but fortunately, my aunt (mom's friend and not a real aunt) spotted me and told the guards to let me through. And she assured me that I could because I was a resident of that barangay as well. But I'll have to wait a little longer since they may be out of vaccination forms.

When I learned that she would procure a form for me, I was delighted. I informed her I'd return when I finished my lunch. I expected to receive the form at 1 p.m., but my aunt handed it to me at 12 p.m. The issue, however, is that the queue is too long since people have come from neighboring barangays as well. That time, I was frantic to get in early because if I didn't, I wouldn't be able to travel home because the last trip to our town leaves at 1:30 p.m. So when my aunt said she'd seek her connections to assist me in getting in, I agreed. She told me to get inside at her cue, and I did, but the guards won't let me in again because they saw that I just had arrived, when my aunt told them that I am ****'s (my father's name) daughter, I overtook perhaps 300 persons in line. My father's family is well-known in the area and the barangay police' who are guarding the area are my dad's friends and relatives.

When I finally got inside, I was laughing silently because I just watched a video a day before that shows the same scenario. I just proved again that connections are important, especially when you are transacting with government employees.

MY FIRST DOSE

After waiting in a queue for around 10 minutes, I was finally moved to another line, where we could sit on chairs. This is the initial screening line.

While sitting and waiting to get in front of the queue. Some health workers assisted me to have my temperature and blood pressure checked. Fortunately, I have normal blood pressure. So I was allowed to proceed to the initial screening.

It was eventually my turn for screening after 30 minutes of waiting. I was assigned to the only guy in the group and I noticed that he's around the same age as me (and he's kinda cute lol), so I was relieved because the ladies looks like they'll eat you alive. He asked me these questions:

How are you?

How do you feel?

Did you have lunch?

Are you nervous?

Do you have allergies?

Have you been sick this past week?

After answering his questions, he signed my Resbakuna form and instructed me to proceed to another queue. It is finally my turn to get the vaccine.

🎶🎶 Oh no... Oh no... Oh nooooo noooo nooo nooo nooo! 🎶🎶

While I was filming the vaccination being administered by a health worker, that song kept playing in my head.

I am looking at the other side while taking the video because I can't bear to see the needle. But to my surprise, it didn't actually hurt. But, much to my amazement, it didn't hurt. I only found out it was done when the lady told me it was finished and that I could go to the post-vaccination and releasing area. I expressed my gratitude to her and the other personnel who helped me and went out.

SECOND DOSE

A month after my first dose of the vaccine, I was scheduled for my second dose. This time, since I am not in a hurry, I am resolute about not getting any help from the people I know. I want to make sure that I'd go through the right process.

I went a little late because I assumed there wouldn't be many people. However, when I arrived at 9:30 a.m., I was surprised to find a massive crowd and a queue that measured one kilometer. From that point forward, I knew I was doomed and I regretted not waking up and preparing early. Still, I went through the right process. There is an initial registration and screening, just as there was during my first dose. Following my screening, I was advised to go ahead and obtain my vaccination, despite the fact that I would have to wait in a huge line. Fortunately, I ran into an elementary school friend who was also receiving her second dose at the time. We were at the end of the line, but we didn't mind because we were talking about a lot of things and hadn't seen each other in years. After two hours, we were finally in the middle of the line, and that's when we parted ways because we have different brands.

Look at this pool of people. I'm afraid that this is where I would get the virus. There is no social distancing.

While standing outside the covered court, I noticed several folks with blood dripping from their arms after getting the vaccine. It made me anxious and frightened that something similar would happen to me. So when it was time for me to take a shot, I was a little nervous. It ached and sting a lot more than my first dose. And I could feel the needle piercing my flesh when the shot was being administered. The health worker who gave me my first shot was much better than the one who gave me my second.

Finally, at 1:45 pm, I was done getting the vaccine and I went home.

After receiving the vaccine, most people experience a variety of adverse effects. Fortunately, it appears that I have a strong immune system since neither the first nor the second dose made me sick. It only ached where the needle had punctured the skin. The second dose was even more painful than the first. Furthermore, my left arm was numb for a few days and that was it.

How about you? Are you fully vaccinated?