“With things starting to open up, it was becoming more evident that people were going to be more comfortable knowing others around them were vaccinated. In my line of business, I need my clients to feel comfortable doing business with me, talking to me and meeting with me.”
Hunt decided to get the vaccine.
She chose Pfizer, which required two doses at least three weeks apart. Her first shot was March 24, and her second was on April 23, 2020.
“The first shot made me feel sickish and a little drained, like I had a bad cold,” Hunt said. “Then, a few days later, I got another case of shingles.”
Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox, also known as the varicella zoster virus. After a person has chickenpox, the virus stays in the body and becomes inactive. Years later, the virus can reactivate, causing shingles (also known as herpes zoster.)
Scientists don’t know exactly what causes the virus to reactivate, but there may be multiple factors. As a person ages, the immune system begins to weaken and is less likely to prevent the virus from reactivating. People with weakened immune systems are more likely to get shingles.
“It wasn’t as bad as the first time; this only lasted about two weeks.” Hunt said
“I’ve never had shingles in my life, and now I’ve had it twice, both times associated with COVID.”