It is pretty ironic how the symptoms of the vaccine seem to vary just as much as the symptoms of COVID-19.

The common side effects of the vaccinated arm include pain, redness and swelling and the rest of the body may experience fatigue, headaches, fevers, chills and nausea according to the CDC.

Being in Phase 1B allowed many teachers to get fully vaccinated and some students were able to get vaccinated because of health conditions or certain circumstances.

Civics and Anthropology teacher Jane Hicks received the Pfizer vaccine and felt minor symptoms like a sore arm and a headache.

“I handled it fine. However, I am glad I had my second dose over a three day weekend. I had plenty of time to recover at home,” Ms. Hicks said. “It would have been difficult to work after the second shot.”

Ms. Hicks got the vaccine to help prevent getting COVID-19 and to keep her and her family safe.

“I wanted to do my part to help slow the spread of the disease and hopefully someday eliminate it,” Ms. Hicks said.

Senior Mandy Mayfield volunteers at the Children’s Hospital, and because of the need of volunteers to work the vaccine clinic, she was able to get it early. The first shot of the Pfizer vaccine gave her a migraine and a sore arm but the second dose was when the symptoms struck.

Mayfield felt drowsiness instantly and flu-like symptoms 12 hours after receiving the second dose.

“I could not get out of bed for the whole day,” Mayfield said. “I had chills, a 102 degree fever, vomiting, nausea, body aches and a headache. This lasted from about Friday at midnight to Saturday night, then I still had lingering symptoms ‘til Sunday night.”

Senior Amal Rizvi received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine and felt similar symptoms to Mayfield. Rizvi was able to get the vaccine because of her asthma which puts her in the high-risk category.

“I was extremely dizzy and the next day I was extremely nauseous and that continued for a couple more days. I was really tired and achy as well, and had a constant headache,” Rizvi said. “On my last day of symptoms (which lasted a total of 5 days) I felt like I had a fever.”

Despite these deplorable side effects, Rizvi and Mayfield do not regret getting the vaccine.

“I would tell someone to have someone drive them home from the vaccine appointment and make no plans for 1-2 days after in case they do have symptoms. And to just rest,” Mayfield said. “The biggest thing is to just remember what it is for and that two days of feeling gross is nothing compared to 14 days of COVID and transmitting it to someone else.”