Healthcare workers and certain people who work with COVID positive students are among the first who have gotten the Moderna vaccine. The CDC and Wyoming Health Department have designated who are with the first group to receive vaccines.
“I’m relieved to be somewhat protected and know that I don’t have to be quite as scared of COVID all the time. We’re doing exams on students with COVID all day and we’re wearing protective gear but it’s still a risk. We’re not 20 anymore so we’re at higher risk,” Amy Robohm, a family nurse practitioner at Student Health, said.
Robohm received her first dose of the vaccine at the end of December and was scheduled to receive her second dose on January 28.
“I had a sore arm and I felt a little achy that night but that’s it. I had some colleagues who had a low grade fever for a night,” Robohm said. “There’s been more side effects with the second [dose] and I’ve had more friends say they’ve had a fever or achiness after the second dose.”
Mary Beth Bender, the clinic director and a family nurse practitioner at Student Health, also reported a sore arm, but no other side effects.
“It was like a tetanus booster but maybe a little bit more sore for a couple days, but that’s all I had,” Bender said.
Unlike Bender and Robohm, Erik Kahl, an associate director for the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership (CSIL) did not experience severe soreness.
“There was a little bit of soreness like any shot puncturing the skin,” Kahl said.
Kahl oversees fraternity and sorority members who have tested positive and need to be moved to isolated rooms. Kahl said this is why he was amongst the first group to receive the vaccine.
“It’s no different than a regular flu shot, but I’ve heard the second dose may cause a fever. Everything has seemed to be normal. I know there’s concerns about long term effects but I haven’t noticed anything in short term effects,” Sergeant Chad Bade of the UW Campus Police said.
Bade also experienced a sore arm as well as a mild headache that went away after a day.
Bender said that the percentage of side effects from the Moderna vaccine are similar to that of other vaccines.
“Some students are saying, ‘Why isn’t UW distributing this?’ They’re being distributed through local health departments and so health care workers are being vaccinated and then elderly are next. Students are about the third tier,” Robohm said.
There is no set date when students will begin getting the vaccines. The second group which includes elderly people have begun as of this week.
Bender said that due to the short supply of vaccines, those above 80 are being vaccinated first in this group.
Robohm said that in college towns COVID cases rose by 50% in the fall when classes began again.
“If we all want to go back to some semblance of normalcy, up to 80% of the population have to get vaccinated so you have to get vaccinated even if you don’t feel your risk is super high.
“We don’t know efficacy, how long it will last, or if we’ll need boosters. Typically I don’t like prescribing medications that are new but we’re in the middle of the pandemic. I’m much more worried about the risk of COVID than the potential small risks of a vaccine,” Robohm said.
For those concerned about reports of allergic reactions to the vaccine, Robohm said that allergic reactions are uncommon but can happen with any vaccine.
“It’s easier to treat allergic reactions than to COVID,” Robohm said. “There’s no live virus from the vaccine. Although they may have flu-like symptoms there’s no way they are going to get Coronavirus from the vaccine.”
The Moderna vaccine, which is what is being distributed in Laramie, comes in two doses. The first dose primes the immune system and the second dose boosts the immune system so it will provide stronger antibodies.
“I think what provided comfort for me is while a lot of vaccines include a proportion of the virus, it prompts your body to respond to the protein coding, not the virus itself. There was no virus injected into me,” Kahl said.
“This type of vaccine has been underway for 10 years since the original SARS virus. This is also a SARS virus so it was easy to transfer the research in place. You hear horror stories of the vaccine but compared to bad outcomes with COVID or transferring COVID, the side effects are not as bad,” Bender said.
The vaccines that have been administered have been through the Mountain View Medical Park.
Currently Student Health, Albany County Community Health, and Ivinson Memorial Hospital regarding the vaccines.
Student Health is still providing services for students. COVID tests are free and regular health services are provided in person or through telehealth.
“We are doing the flu shot clinic on February 12 in the West Ballroom at the Union 1:30 to 4 p.m.,” Bender said. “Better to get the flu shot than to get knocked down by it or also catch COVID.”
Flu shots will be $25 and are distributed based on first come, first serve.
