As the Covid vaccine has recently become available to a much wider age range and significantly more accessible to the general public, the number of people getting the vaccine has skyrocketed. And while many of us are receiving the same vaccine, our experiences afterward have been vastly different. Here's what some Atlanta Muslims have to say about their experiences:

Eeman, 19: “A lot of planning went into exactly how the vaccines would be distributed, so there was no waiting and I was in and out really quickly. They also had accommodations for those who wanted to take their shots in a secluded area. I’ve yet to get my second dose, but I haven’t had any symptoms yet, which is something I was not expecting.”

Fauzia, 49: “I experienced slight pain in my arm around the injection area later in the day. It lasted for two days. I got a fever after 24 hours of vaccination of about 101° and had Covid fever symptoms. It was controlled just by getting one 250 mg Tylenol. The third day after vaccination I was completely fine. No other signs of reactions or symptoms.”

Ahmed, 56: “I felt a sense of relief that finally, I have less fear of the virus, although I have no intentions to be less careful. The reaction was definitely like having a bad flu, but it lasted only 2 days.”

Samiah, 18: “The first dose I got resulted in a small headache, but it wasn't too bad. As for the second dose, I felt really sick and for about 2 days. I was in constant pain and had to hold off from my daily activities. As for the process of getting the vaccine, it was very organized and quick. When I got my second dose, it was even more organized than before, I was out in 15 minutes.

Mishal, 25: “​As a healthcare worker, getting the Pfizer vaccine gave me the assurance of enhancing my immune system's response to the coronavirus. Working in a hospital gave me a real insight into the horrors of what COVID-19 was capable of and made me want to take every possible measure to protect myself and my loved ones. I encourage all who are able to get the vaccine in order to establish herd immunity as a society and beat the disease that has rendered the world stagnant for the past year. Side effects after the first dose included a very sore arm and a headache the day after. The arm soreness post-vaccine was more noticeable/painful compared to other vaccinations I have received. With that being said, the headache was easily treated with Ibuprofen, and no other side effects were noted."

Aemun, 24: “​I had arm pain from the first dose which only lasted a day or two. The second dose had no side effects for me alhamdulillah. I'm glad we're all getting it and adding to the data. I hope it's even more effective than we thought inshallah.”

​Tahira, 51: "I have hypertension and I got the Moderna vaccine. My arm hurt a lot a few hours after getting the vaccine to the point where I couldn't sleep at night. The pain disappeared after I took Tylenol. The pain lasted around 10 hours."

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