The COVID-19 situation is analogous to a game of Snakes & Ladders. Sometimes we would land on a box with a "Snake" in the form where our government needs to tighten the safety measurements to keep the infections under control so we slide down the "Snake". Then, we would ascend the "Ladder" when the measures ease slightly. In order to scare away the "Snake", we would apply “repellent” in which we are all encouraged to be vaccinated!
The measures also got stricter for those who were unvaccinated compared to those who were vaccinated. In order to make things easier for my friends when we go out, I decided to go for the vaccination.
My friend suggested going to the centre at Raffles City Convention Hall so our intention was to have dinner, go to the vaccination centre and maybe walk around the mall if I needed to buy anything.
However, just a few hours after I was registered and confirmed my preferred timings, it was announced that dine-in would be suspended on the scheduled dates. Aha! A “Snake” appeared again as the measures tightened again. We just have to abide with these measures so that the number of community infections will be reduced.
The vaccination sessions were very systematic and they were all done in a breeze!
For my first jab, I was asked a few questions at the counter and the facilitator explained about the vaccine and some side effects. Then, I got led to the vaccine station. I had to turn the chair so that my non-dominant, the right arm, was to the nurse. Again, the nurse repeated what vaccine I was taking and the side effects which may result from the jab. I was then brought to the observation area and sat there for 30 minutes.
As for the second jab, after I showed my NRIC, I immediately went to the vaccine station, verified my details, and in went the needle. It took less than two minutes for the whole process.
There was not much of a reaction after the first jab besides the soreness on the jab site of the arm. Interestingly, after my second jab, the following day, I felt restless and I could feel the adrenaline level increased. Friends joked that I was given caffeine.
This picture is of me sitting at the observation area after my second jab.
It will take two weeks for the vaccine to take effect after the second jab. Being fully vaccinated, I will feel safer when I am outside. With the vaccine made more readily available, let's all hope the COVID-19 situation will get better day by day.
Tan Siew Ling is fully Deaf-blind, having lost both her sight and hearing to a neurological condition, Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). She carries a screen reader with a Braille display, which she fondly names it as “Bear Bear”, everywhere she goes. Her humour, wordplay, and love of puns keep friends on their toes. She enjoys reading books in her free time and loves to pen down her thoughts, often on a whim, which can be entertaining at times, on her social media. When she is not writing or reading, she can be seen doing insanely 72kg leg presses or swinging a 20kg kettlebell to and fro. You can find out more about Siew Ling and her journey here.