As vaccine eligibility opens, there are a few things to note before receiving your vaccine.
For the two-dose vaccines Moderna and Pfizer, Linda Vail, health officer for Ingham County, recommends making sure you are available for the second dose. If you are not available for your second scheduled vaccine, do not schedule your first dose.
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Currently, all Michiganders aged 50 and over are available, as well as younger adults with pre-existing illnesses. On April 5, all Michigan residents aged 16 and over will be eligible for a vaccine.
These appointment schedules will not be able to choose the vaccine they will receive. Coronavirus vaccinations are provided at no cost to patients.
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Vail ponders what you need to know.
Before you go:
- Wear clothes that make your arm easily accessible. Vail suggests wearing a jacket over a short-sleeved shirt.
- Make sure to bring a mask.
- Bring a photo ID, as well as any proof of employment, if referring to your appointment. Some vaccination sites are requiring patients to bring an insurance card, said Vail. If you have insurance, bring your insurance card. If you don’t have insurance, that’s fine.
- Make sure you have not received another vaccine two weeks before your coronavirus vaccine. If you’re getting a two-dose coronavirus vaccine, don’t plan on getting a different vaccine between doses of coronavirus, said Vail. Also, do not plan to receive the vaccine until two weeks after your final dose.
- Make sure you eat. Some people are anxious before the vaccine and having a low blood sugar does not help, said Vail. Eating has nothing to do with the vaccine, it just helps any nervousness.
After your vaccine:
- Stay hydrated. This will help you feel better after the vaccine, said Vail.
- You can also take an over-the-counter pain reliever, if necessary, after the vaccine.
- Feel free to move and massage the area where the vaccine will be administered. It helps any pain, said Vail.
- You may experience side effects after the vaccine, especially your second dose. If you have a fever or chills, it happens to some and it is not an adverse reaction, said Vail. Instead, it is a side effect of your bodybuilding immunity.
You don’t have to avoid any activity before or after the vaccine, said Vail. However, you can anticipate feeling a little unwell after your dose. Vail said it was up to each person to take the day off after the dose or lighten the schedule.
Once you are fully vaccinated, you can meet with other vaccinated people at home, without wearing masks or social distance, and with a family of low-risk people, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Fully vaccinated means that you have waited two weeks since receiving your second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after your single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Vaccinated individuals must still wear a mask, distance themselves socially and avoid crowding in public spaces, according to the CDC.
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