Aside from the soreness in her arm, Filipina nurse Ela May Laureňo Ayuban, who works in University of Florida Health, said she felt no side effects after receiving her first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on December 23.
Assigned in the Bronchoscopy Department of the hospital, Ayuban said she opted for voluntary vaccination after the COVID vaccine was made available to them for free.
“No apprehension. It’s either we get the disease or have it in the weakened form of vaccine. I continue to boost my immune system with Vitamins C, D, B complex and home remedy,” said the Murcia native, who migrated to the US 16 years ago with her husband.
Being exposed to her patients every day, Ayuban said has to protect herself since the risk is high of contracting the virus.
“I have to go back for my second shot on January 8,” Ayuban said.
Latest reports from the Florida Health Department shows a total of 1,280,177 COVID cases in the state with 21,308 deaths among its residents and 305 among non-Florida residents.
The health department also reported 122, 881 COVID vaccinations in the state as of December 27.
More than 18 million cases of COVID-19 were reported in the US with 329,310 deaths, latest reports from the World Health Organization show. – NAB
