6 minute read
Cover Story: A shot of hope
A shot of COVER STORY hopeSeniors find comfort amid vaccine confusion
By Anthony Welch
Helen Brown, a widower of three years, lives alone. That’s been the toughest part of living through COVID-19.
“The isolation was very, very difficult,” she said.
Fortunately, today’s technology allowed the 70-year-old to connect with family and friends through Zoom and Skype. Outdoor gatherings with her family during the summer also provided much-needed relief.
Brown’s son was quick to let her know once the COVID-19 vaccine became available. From the date she first registered, she scheduled an appointment and received the vaccine within a week.
“I read a lot about how it was engineered and what it did,” Brown said. “And that made me feel very comfortable.” COMMON SIDE EFFECTS
Those receiving the vaccine may experience mild to moderate side effects after receiving it. Side effects typically go away on their own after a few days, according to the Colorado Department of Health and Public Environment (CDPHE). Brown felt absolutely no side effects after her first injection.
“People had mentioned sore arms. I just made sure I moved my arm around and drank lots of water,” she said.
According to the CDPHE, the following symptoms are normal and show that your body’s immune system is responding to the vaccine: • Pain, swelling and redness at the injection site • Pain, tenderness and swelling of the lymph nodes in the same arm of the injection • Fatigue • Headache • Muscle pain • Chills • Joint pain • Nausea/vomiting • Fever
Dr. David Steinbruner, Chief Medical Officer at UCHealth Memorial Hospital, said he’s seen side effects vary from person to person. Much of it has been soreness in the arm, which he said isn’t from the vaccine itself, just the shot.
“Effects can be as severe as feeling like you have the flu, or minimum to none, which is the vast majority of folks,” Steinbruner said. “Side effects are not age dependent. They can happen to younger folks as well as older folks.”
As far as the vaccine being safe, Steinbruner assured there should be no concerns about getting it.
“It’s safe, and it’s been really well studied,” he said. “I encourage everybody to get this vaccine. I’ve taken it myself.”
WHO’S ELIGIBLE?
Colorado is currently in Phase 1A, 1B.1 and 1B.2 of vaccine distribution. Among those eligible to receive the vaccination are Coloradans age 65 or older.
As of mid-February, 70,274 people in El Paso County had received their first vaccination, and
Does it hurt?
Seniors share their COVID-19 vaccination experiences
Andy Cain, 74
“I was a little achy overall—the kind of feeling that you worked out too hard or needed to work out. The person who [gave me the vaccine], I would call them a very good stick. They knew what they were doing.”
Helen Brown, 70
Following her second dose, Brown experienced a few body aches and some nausea for a couple of days. “If these flu-like symptoms are the worst they can be, I’m okay with that.”
27,821 were fully vaccinated having received their second dose, according to El Paso County Public Health (EPCPH). Of those numbers, 31,525 seniors age 70 and older received at least one dose, and 6,439 seniors ages 65 to 69 received at least one as well.
While hospital staff started to see a decline in COVID-19 cases before the vaccine was available, Steinbruner said cases have further decreased with the vaccine.
“Our caseload is much more manageable now compared to back in November,” he added.
Andy Cain, 74, said he and his
wife Debbie, 73, weren’t hesitant at all to sign up for the vaccine.
“I was very proactive to try and get us signed up and fast as we could,” he said.
Cain and his wife are fully vaccinated. Following the first dose, neither of them felt any adverse effects—not even sore arms.
“In the medical field, they call it a good stick. The person who did it, I would call them a very good stick,” Cain said. “They knew what they were doing.”
Following his second dose of the vaccine, Cain said he felt a little malaise, but nothing serious.
“I was in the Navy, traveled the world and got an awful lot of vaccines and shots. It’s a typical reaction to a flu shot,” he said. “I was a little achy overall; the kind of feeling that you worked out too hard or needed to work out.”
On February 11, Brown returned to the UCHealth-Memorial Administrative Center for her second dose of the vaccine.
It was a relaxed, comfortable environment that included people lining up in a socially distanced line. Staff directed them to an open station where nursing students administered the vaccine. Following their dose, people were given the option to take a seat and see if there were any immediate effects.
Following her second dose of the vaccine, Brown said she experienced a few body aches and some nausea for a couple of days.
“If these flu-like symptoms are the worst they can be, I’m okay with that,” she said.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
There is no cost to receive the vaccine. People should beware of any organizations soliciting the vaccine at a cost. EPCPH also said it’s critical that everyone, including those who have already received the vaccine, continue to follow prevention measures to slow the spread of the virus: wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash hands frequently and stay home when sick.
To those seniors who may be on the fence about getting the vaccine, Brown highly recommended it.
“I would say that the research has been very thorough,” she said. “We don’t know what the longterm’s going to be. But it seems to be the best option right now. And if it can help you to regain a normal life, that’s a positive. ■
Where to get vaccinated
If you are currently eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, contact one of these providers to schedule an appointment.
CENTURA HEALTH
• Centura.org/vaccine • 866-414-1562
UCHEALTH
• UCHealth.org/COVIDvaccine • 720-462-2255
KAISER PERMANENTE
• KP.org/covidvaccine/colorado • 1-855-550-0951
OPTUM AND MOUNTAIN VIEW MEDICAL GROUP
• CSHP.net/COVID-19-vaccine • 719-463-5650
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
(FOR ENROLLED MEMBERS ONLY) • VA.gov/health-care/COVID19-vaccine/stay-informed • 1-888-336-8262
MATTHEWS-VU MEDICAL GROUP
• MatthewsVu.com • 719-474-7380
PEAK VISTA COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS
• PeakVista.org/COVID-19patient-resources • 719-344-6500
SAFEWAY PHARMACY
• Safeway.com/COVIDclinic • Or call your local pharmacy location
KING SOOPERS
• bit.ly/KingSoopersVaccine • Or call your local pharmacy location
WALMART
• www.walmart.com/
COVIDvaccine
Call 2-1-1
Monday through Friday | 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Text VACCINE (English) or VACUNA (Spanish) to 667873 to get contact information for your preferred vaccine provider
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Answers available in multiple languages.
vaccine-finder.nickm.org
Nick Muerdter, a web developer in Golden, created his own web page that simplifies the appointment search process. Visitors to his page can look around and see which appointments are available. Governor Jared Polis endorsed the website on social media.
