Finally, 21 days after my 1st dose, I went for my 2nd dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on the 22nd May 2021. As I have heard about the more severe side effects of the 2nd dose, I did my preparation for it.
The Preparation
Based on the information from MOH (Ministry of Health), the possible side effects are:
- Pain, redness, swelling at the injection site
- Fever, chills
- Headache, muscle pain, joint pain
- Tiredness
- Lymph node swelling at neck or arms
I bought a box of Panadol as a precaution. I also bought lots of cooling water, coconut juices, herbal tea and drank lots of water before the injection. Some of the “remedies” are hear-say from friends but do note that the symptoms differ from person to person. I have heard some did not get any symptoms at all.
The Process
A few days prior to the vaccination, there is a reminder SMS from MOH reminding me to go for this injection.
As per the first dose, the location for the vaccination is the same. The process is similar. We (my wife and I) got there around 3:40 pm. We queued up for less than 10 minutes before we were ushered to the actual location. Here is my TraceTogether check-in time.
The process is very efficient. Within minutes, I reached the first station where they asked the standard questions as shown below.
The next station was the Registration Counter where they checked my Identification Card (NRIC) and confirmed the contact person should I need assistance.
Once done, I went to another counter to get a queue number. The time was 3:53 pm. That was 13 minutes after I first arrived.
As there were 24 stations, there was no waiting time. I was ushered to an available station. There were the usual questions to confirm my identity before administering my 2nd shot of the Pfizer vaccine.
Once done, I went straight to the holding area and waited 30 minutes (to observe if there are any side effects) before being released. This is the vaccination card I received after the injection.
I was also given a “I am vaccinated against COVID-19” sticker and a reusable mask.
In total, it took about 47 minutes from start to end.
I was told that a digital copy of the vaccination record will be available on Health Hub app after a week. And when I checked the app on Monday, it is already inside.
On the Health Hub, there are also advisories to inform you to wait for 14 days after the final dose for the vaccine to take effect.
Currently, the TraceTogether App is still showing vaccination in progress. I believe it will show “vaccination completed” after 14 days.
The Effects of 2nd Dose
Before I describe the effects of the 2nd dose, please note that this is my personal experience. I talked to some people after they have had their 2nd dose. It seems that the experiences differ from people to people, based on your body conditions.
First 8 hours, I felt fine except for the aching on the injection area. The aching at the injection area got worse towards the end of the day. I drank lots of water. I slept for 10 hours (woke up twice to relieve myself due to drinking too much water).
On the next day, I felt feverish. My temperature is around 37.5 degrees Celsius. I took 2 Panadol tablets. My body is aching and I felt tired even without doing anything. I guess the vaccine is working fine. In the evening, the fever is still there. I took another 2 Panadol tablets. I must say that the effects are not as bad I originally feared.
That is it for my COVID-19 Vaccination journey. As there is a recent spike in community cases in Singapore, we all know that having the COVID-19 vaccine does not guarantee that you will not get COVID-19 (based on the reports from MOH). In recent cases, those that had been vaccinated showed lesser symptoms or asymptomatic. Please do your part and get vaccinated as soon as you get your opportunity.
Right now, it is a crucial period for Singapore. Do your part and wear a mask when you are out. Observe the rules and regulations and hopefully, we can see a reduction in unlinked community cases in the next few weeks.