US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez got the COVID-19 vaccine by Pfizer-BioNtech recently and was open about the entire process on her social media handles. Not only did she share the process of getting her first dose of the vaccine on Instagram Live but then also answered doubts that her followers had about the vaccine.
With the launch of several vaccines and many countries like Russia, England and the United States beginning to administer the vaccines, many people have been left wondering about the implications behind receiving the vaccine.
Although all of the vaccines launched by companies from across the world have gone through rounds of testing, apprehension about them is understandable, given COVID-19 is nothing like any other disease that we have seen.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shared a detailed Instagram post, that had the video of her getting the shot, answering a mandatory questionnaire before the vaccination and replying to various questions about the vaccine by her Instagram followers. She informed her social media following that in accordance with national security protocols, US Congress has started vaccinations and thus she also decided to get the shot. While she was on her way to get the vaccine, she asked people to leave any questions they had about the process on her Instagram.
"Just like wearing a mask, I'd never advise you to do something I wasn't willing to do myself," she wrote in the post. Then she posted a picture of the questionnaire that she was told to fill out.
The form had questions enquiring if the person had had a vaccine before, were they feeling sick, if they have had COVID before, were they pregnant, among other things. She said that these questions were meant to check if the person was eligible to get the shot but answering to any question did not mean that they could not be vaccinated. It just meant that they would have to clear their particular case out with the doctor.
The video of AOC, as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is popularly known, getting a shot told her followers that the Pfizer vaccine had to be administered in two doses, 21 days apart. After she is done with the first dose, she will have to check in again in January to get the second dose. It is only after the second dose is administered that the immunity will start kicking in.
In a bright selfie clicked with other members of the Congress, she added that they are made to wait for 15 minutes after the vaccine has been given to see if anyone has any reaction. She also posted an entire list of side effects of getting the COVID19 vaccine.
The New York lawmaker shared a picture of her vaccination card as well, urging people that it was safe and hassle-free to get the vaccine.