Nurse reports only minor side effects from vaccine

With the state moving forward with Phase 1B of COVID-19 vaccinations, the public still is divided on whether or not to get the vaccine.

Concerns over health problems, bad reactions and conspiracy theories are causing people to question the validity of the vaccine. RaeAnn Burns, an emergency nurse at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and Mt. Pleasant resident, spoke about her own experience with the vaccine.

'I have watched co-workers work tirelessly through this pandemic to save lives of those affected by the virus,” Burns said. 'I got vaccinated because I wanted to protect myself, my family and my patients.”

Burns voiced her concerns about receiving the vaccine.

'I was worried at first, because many of my co-workers were having minor side effects such as fatigue, body aches and fever for 24 hours, and since I have a little one at home, I hate to feel ill,” she said. 'But, then I thought 24 hours of feeling mildly ill is so much better than what this virus is capable of.”

Though Burns did experience some minor body aches 12 hours after her second dose, she doesn't regret getting the vaccine.

'What people need to understand is the vaccine is exactly what we need to overcome this terrible virus,” Burns said. 'I encourage people to do their own educated research and work with their primary care providers to help decide whether the vaccine is best for them.”