The Side Effects of the COVID-19 Vaccine

By Alex Malanoski

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The effort to vaccinate Syracuse University students on campus began this week.

SU students received an email on Monday with information on how to preregister to get a COVID-19 vaccine on campus. On Tuesday single-dose Johnson & Johnson shots were administered at the Barnes Center from the university’s initial batch of 1,600 vaccines provided by New York state and Onondaga County.

Many students jumped at the opportunity to get vaccinated. However, some reported mild side effects they were not expecting. Anika Sahityani, an SU freshman, said the side effects hit her hard the first night following her vaccination.

“Once I got my vaccine I felt fine until the evening when I started having these really severe chills,” Sahityani said. “It was so bad I couldn’t even leave my bed.”

Some students said the side effects are worth it if that’s what it will take to return to normal. Brandon Sklarin, an SU sophomore and the second student to be vaccinated on campus, said he is looking forward to the exciting feeling of being back in the Dome at full capacity.

“With this whole pandemic that we’ve been going through for so long now, it kinda seems like the end is near. It’s a really exciting time honestly,” Sklarin said. “I just really want to be back in the Dome and watch us play live sports. Having that comradery with the student section, we’re all cheering on the same people, all this built-up excitement. People are just waiting for something to be excited about.”

The vaccination effort will continue next week. Ryan McMahon, Onondaga County Executive, announced that SU is holding a mass vaccination clinic at the Dome to distribute approximately 3,000 COVID-19 vaccines.