I buried the main topic of this post in between two other subjects of no great importance. I didn't want to alarm you. You can chill now.
Yes, I have "COVID arm." It's not like "COVID toes," not at all. Covid toes is a symptom of the coronavirus. Covid arm (I'm going to stop capitalizing it) is a side effect of the vaccine. I'm going to tell you about it as a Public Service Announcement. To start, let me say that research shows that Covid arm affects 2% to 9% of people who get the vaccine, and they're mostly women. (Lucky me!) Anyway, it's not a big deal.
After getting the first shot of the vaccine, it's normal for you to see a slight swelling at the site of the injection, red and warm. It usually kicks in the next day and is gone within a day or two. So yeah, I had that. Covid arm kicks in several days later, usually on Day 8. Covid arm is a rash, hot and itchy, which can "grow" to 5" long! Mine started out (on Day 8) about the size of a clementine, grew to the size of an apple, and was morphing into a small eggplant when it decided that it had tormented me enough. Today (which is Day 12), it's hardly visible and no longer itches.
So here's the thing. A couple of days before my rash made its appearance, I'd read an article in the morning paper about Covid arm. At first, I thought it was about that normal next-day swelling at the injection site, but when the article said it usually kicks in on Day 8, I realized this was something else. I filed that information into my pandemic brain and moved on. Two days later, I started itching!
I recalled the article in the Post, but I couldn't remember what issue it was in. So I started googling "Covid rash" and found nothing. An archive search on the Post directed me to the article I'd read, in which it was referred to as "Covid arm," and so I then googled that. I found a few articles that assuaged any worry I had about the rash. They all pointed to the same thing: if you develop Covid arm, it's a sign that (a) you have a good immune system and (b) your body is doing what it's supposed to be doing. And just like that, my worry turned into a big, fat "Phew!"
Since googling "Covid rash" gave me no information, I wanted to alert you to the term "Covid arm" in case you develop such a rash after you get the vaccine. You're welcome.
As to Liquid Nails, I spent a few hours with that amazing adhesive today to complete a home improvement project. It does the trick. I also completed a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle of a map of the world today. I patted myself on the back when I knew where to direct the various pieces, but I also mourned this pandemic curse on travel. There are so many more places I want to see!
So, to tie it all together, let me just say that like Liquid Nails, I'm stuck here with my Covid arm, wistfully studying a map of the world. (I heard that groan.)
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