My story goes back to March 2021. I had a consultation with a doctor where she deemed me fit to apply for a Covid-19 vaccine based on my medical history. It took me over two weeks to register on eZConsult for Covid-19 vaccination (I thought I needed a different identification card to do it, so I waited for that to be approved first). I received an e-mail saying that my application was under review. It took only a couple of days before my application as part of the A3 group (people with comorbidity, mine is asthma) was approved. The approval was in the application. I was directed to schedule a vaccination after the approval.

            It took me a month to get a slot for vaccination. There were no slots anywhere in Quezon City from April to December. I checked the eZConsult application every other day to no avail. A good friend told me to check Quezon City government’s official website and Facebook page for announcements. It was not until May 13 when the Quezon City Local Government Unit (QC LGU) opened hundreds of slots for its residents that I successfully scheduled a date, time, and place. I was able to get a spot at Araneta Coliseum, one of the mega vaccination centers in Metro Manila. I chose the earliest available slot on May 21, Friday, because of two reasons. First, all my important meetings were done by then. Second, I have the weekend to recuperate in case I feel the side effects of the vaccine. eZConsult sent an email with the details of my appointment the same day I was able to get a schedule.

            The day before my vaccination schedule, I made sure I had three things: 1) valid Identification Card, 2) appointment confirmation and QR code from the eZConsult app, and 3) medical certificate from the doctor. I slept early that night and made sure I had at least eight hours of snooze time. 

            On May 21, I woke up early and prepared a light breakfast, showered, dressed comfortably (I made sure my top had no sleeves), double checked that all the requirements were inside my bag or on my phone, and brought my own pens (yes, I had three pens) to the venue. 

            I arrived 35 minutes earlier than the designated time. There was no one outside the main entrance of Araneta Coliseum except for the guards and the volunteers. The volunteers manning the tables asked me for my ID, gave me a one-leaf/two-page form to answer and a ticket, and let me in right away. The form is an Informed Consent Form for the AstraZeneca Covid-19 Vaccine. 

            I walked inside and saw a dozen people answering their forms. I chose a chair among the many that lined the exterior of what most know as the basketball court. It took me a couple of minutes to answer the form and I walked along the path to the basketball court. 

A volunteer asked me to see my form and ID and I was allowed into the basketball court itself. The lights were a little glaring and the vastness of the court was a jarring. There were multiple frontliners and vaccinees there. I was asked what my comorbidity is then my blood pressure (BP) was taken in one stations. Since my BP was normal, they checked my form before they directed me to the line of chairs in front of the next station. There I had a short interview about my comorbidity and was asked a couple of questions. My answers seemed to satisfy the frontliner, so he discussed the possible side effects of the vaccine and what I should do in case I have them. 

            The next station was the vaccination station. I gave them my form and they told me about the vaccine I would be getting. I requested them to inject me on my right arm since I am a lefty and they obliged. I thanked them for their work, and I did not feel that the injection was done. As the nurse placed the band-aid on my arm, he told me to wait for my vaccination card. The vaccination card has all the information of the first and second dosages of the vaccinee. My second dosage will be in the middle of August, after 12 weeks of the first dosage.

            The last station is the monitoring station. A frontliner took the vaccination card and asked me my age. She asked me to sit down for 15 minutes and listen to the mini-lecture about side effects and how to deal with them. Someone gave me a bottled water. Around that time, I received an e-mail from eZConsult with the details of my second dosage. Talk about efficiency! 

            The person who gave the lecture called out the names of the vaccinees and gave us our vaccination cards. After thanking the frontliners, I exited the basketball court. On my way out, I saw the list of common side effects of the Covid-19 vaccination and the things one can do to ease them. Near the exit of Araneta Coliseum, there is a tarpaulin of QC LGU.

            Since I felt well and giddy that I finally got my first jab against Covid-19, I bought groceries from Rustan’s and paracetamol from a nearby Mercury Drug. I paid my bills and had lunch. I even attended part of the meeting for work (virtually). 

            I planned to stay home for a couple of weeks (which explains the groceries) after the vaccination, so I arranged food, water, and other items to be more than enough for that time frame. I am fortunate to have the option to work from home for that period as well. I had one paracetamol just before I slept and things looked fine on Friday night. Over the next three days, I had fleeting chills, high temperature, and swollen throat, but I was not afraid in the slightest because I knew I could possibly feel them. I was able to prepare for them with plenty of fluids, paracetamol, blankets, and lots of sleep, thanks to the guidance of the frontliners and research. Thank you to my family and friends who checked on me while I was not 100% well. 

            Today is Day 16 after my first dosage of Covid-19 vaccine. I feel better knowing that I am one step away from being fully vaccinated. I will be protected soon and my loved ones and the community where I belong will be protected also. 

Before, during, and after the Covid-19 vaccination, I went through the following: 

1. I read a lot and asked questions from the experts and those who already had them. 
2. I consulted a doctor.
3. I registered on eZConsult. I checked for updates and monitored the Quezon City official online platforms for announcements. I also called the barangay for their process so I would have another alternative (I have since informed the barangay that I had my first dosage already). 
4. Upon knowing my schedule, I filed a leave of absence from work.
5. Since I am familiar with the venue, I did not have to Google how to get there. But I read up on the proceedings and watched some videos regarding the vaccination process in Araneta Coliseum. 
6. I prepared the required documents before the appointment. I rested the night before and made sure I was not late on the day itself. 
7. After the vaccination, I informed my family. I live alone, so I would like them to know that I am okay. 
8. I exercised my arm. I had paracetamol at the recommended times, drank a lot of water, and rested/slept. 

Thank you to the Quezon City LGU, eZConsult, and to all the frontliners! 🙂