What does it feel like to get a COVID-19 vaccine?

BOSTON — The first doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine were delivered to Massachusetts last week.

Nearly 35,000 COVID-19 vaccine shots have been administered in the state as of late Tuesday, according to the Massachusetts COVID-19 Response Command Center.

Health care workers, residents and staff of long-term care facilities are being given priority access to the vaccine as part of the state’s phased rollout. Hospitals began vaccinating their staff as soon as their first doses arrived.

25 Investigates reporter Ted Daniel spoke with three frontline health care workers who received an initial dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine last week. The Pfizer vaccine was the first to be granted emergency use approval by federal regulators in the U.S.

TED DANIEL: The speed at which the Pfizer vaccine was developed was incredible. Were you concerned about rolling up your sleeve to get the injection?

MELISSA HOUSTON/INFUSION NURSE, DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE

No, I wasn’t. I’ve done a lot of research, so I felt very comfortable with what the vaccine is made of, the process for making it. I understand a lot of people were worried about the speed in which it was approved. But I also know I’ve seen people very sick and dying from this.

AMY STANLEY/ER NURSE, BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER

I was nervous, I was actually a little hesitant when I heard about the vaccine coming out in the first place. I did my own research and kind of looked into the science and realized that the safest and the best thing to do for not only me, but my family was to get the vaccine.

TED: How did you feel after getting the shot?

MAUREEN M. CANELLAS, MD/ER DOCTOR, UMASS MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER

It was at least 12 hours (after the injection) before my arm hurt. I just woke up with a sore arm and it went away. I know some of my colleagues who had symptoms, but then they get tested for COVID, it’s negative (colleagues tested negative), and then they go back to work. So very minimal symptoms I’ve heard from my colleagues as well.

AMY STANLEY/ER NURSE, BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER

The next day, my arm was pretty sore. I just generally didn’t feel great. I did develop like a low grade fever like 99 (degrees). I just generally didn’t feel wonderful. But when I woke up the following day, I felt totally fine. My arm was fine. I had no more symptoms.

TED DANIEL: What would you say to people who are hesitant about getting the vaccine?

MELISSA HOUSTON/INFUSION NURSE, DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE

I would say, do your research, listen to the CDC, stay off the internet with all these conspiracy theorists and everything, just really trust that the intentions are to do no harm.

MAUREEN M. CANELLAS, MD/ER DOCTOR, UMASS MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER

I would say that you should watch things like this, read the newspapers and hear what we (health care providers) have to say on social media. So many of us were taking pictures, not to brag for those who can’t get it yet. But to really show that we’re trying to pave the way about how safe this is. See what your friends and family are doing, and see what your providers are doing for you.

AMY STANLEY/ER NURSE, BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER

I think working on the front lines, we need to be those people that show everybody that it’s okay to get it, that we feel fine getting it and we have looked into it. We feel like the science is safe.

Cox Media Group