The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Officials get 1-dose vaccines
Two local elected officials and Lorain County’s public health chief are some of the early recipients of the newest vaccine against the novel coronavirus.
Lorain County Probate Judge James T. Walther and Avon Mayor Bryan Jensen got their one-anddone shots March 12 at Lorain County Public Health’s main office in Elyria.
They, with Walther’s wife, Dawn, and Lorain County Health Commissioner Dave Covell received some of the county’s earliest doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
It is the newest in public health and requires a single injection, whereas the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use two inoculations for maximum protection against COVID-19.
So far, all three protect against severe effects — including death — caused by the novel coronavirus, Covell said.
“All three vaccines … are very effective against hospitalization and death and that’s what matters when it comes to this virus,” he said.
Getting jabbed
The public official invited the media to attend so they could set a good example how Lorain County residents can fight the pandemic.
Among 35,000 vaccine recipients so far, Lorain County Public Health nurses have seen some people faint. Generally that is due to “white coat” anxiousness about getting stuck, not because of medical effects, Covell said.
Jensen hinted he might join that group because of his own aversion to needles.
“I wanted to sell my shot — I mean, give money to someone else to take my shot,” Jensen quipped.
The Walthers and Jensen rolled up their sleeves. Nurse Jillian Spriestersbach, program manager for community health, administered the doses in a matter of minutes.
“I can’t tell you how pumped up I’ve been since I found out that I’m on the list,” James Walther said. “I’m super excited to get it. The biggest thing is, I was able to call my mom and tell her
that we could spend Easter with her.”
James Walther went first and Jensen prompted chuckles when he asked if the judge could get shots in both arms. Dawn Walther took photos while her husband received the injection.
“I didn’t feel it,” said James Walther. “I absolutely didn’t feel it.”
Dawn Walther received her shot while Jensen filled out the necessary paperwork.
Afterward, Jensen said he felt the needle prick for the COVID-19 vaccine.
“I wanted to show an example,” Jensen said, noting that if he can promote someone else getting a vaccine or they see him getting the shot, it may prompt them to do the same.
“No one will be more terrified than I am, I can tell you that,” he said.
Although he does not like needles, Jensen said he donates blood because it’s the right thing to do.
“The same with vaccinations, it’s the right thing to do, so I’ll look away and that’s what I did and I made it through,” Jensen said.
After effects
Covell said he was not nervous about getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on March 9.
“These vaccines are pretty well tested,” Covell said. “There’s not a lot of concern for me in the long haul. It’s just really, short term reaction, what would that be like?
“I’m excited about being vaccinated,” he said.
His wife is a teacher and soon will receive her second dose, Covell said, and his mother and elder siblings all have been vaccinated.
He received the shot about 9:45 a.m. and Covell said he felt fine immediately afterward and continued working that day.
Some aftereffects hit almost exactly 12 hours later, about 9:45 p.m.
“I was at home, felt a little bit of the chills, I was starting to feel a little bit like, oh, I’m tired kind of a thing, so I went to bed,” Covell said.
He said he woke up at midnight and felt fine, so he was up for a little while, then went back to bed.
“And then I went back to sleep and woke up the next day and I’ve felt great ever since,” Covell said.
“So, I had a little soreness in my arm, a little bit of chills and a little bit of achiness and that was pretty much it.”
The soreness in his left arm felt comparable to that after getting a flu shot, Covell said, and it was unusual for him to turn in as early as 9:45 p.m.
March 10 was an evening board meeting of Lorain County, so it was a 12hour day, but Covell said he did not feel worn down due to the shot.
Antibodies present
If anyone has had COVID-19 in the last 90 days, Covell asked that they consider waiting to get a shot so other people can get the vaccine and build up immunity.
But if a person had it and has been asymptomatic for 10 days, they can get the injections, he said.
More shots coming
Demand for vaccines remains high and the Walthers, Jensen and Covell noted they did not jump ahead in the line to receive their shots.
They qualified by age and James Walther canceled an appointment earlier in the week to get his shot at the county health department. Covell qualified for a shot earlier due to his job, but skipped it until this week so Pfizer or Moderna doses could be used on someone else.