x
Breaking News
More () »

'I'm aching for the rest of the community to catch up with us': Nurse practitioner gets COVID booster, completes vaccine series

Allison Wynes, a nurse practitioner at University of Iowa Health Care, still plans to take steps to slow the spread of COVID-19, despite now being fully vaccinated.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Editor's Note: The video above is from Dec. 21, 2020. 

Some Iowans at the highest risk of exposure have now been fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

Allison Wynes, a nurse practitioner at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, said she works directly with COVID patients. 

Wynes was the fifth Iowan to get the COVID-19 vaccine in December.

Tuesday, she was among the first in the state to get the booster dose, meaning she is now done with the Pfizer vaccine series. 

Wynes said it's great to know she's now fully vaccinated. 

Local 5 spoke to Wynes about six hours after her shot to find out how she was feeling. 

"I do feel like I could sit down and take a nap at any moment, but that's about it so far," Wynes said. "I am personally worried that I may have a bit of a headache because I am prone to headaches or maybe some body aches because those are the things that I'm more prone to."

Wynes said if she does get those side effects, she expects to be able to treat the symptoms with Tylenol. 

Wynes said while she feels privileged and excited to have gotten the vaccine so early, she is less excited than she was after her first dose. 

RELATED: Some mild to moderate vaccine reactions reported in Iowa

"There's still a lot of work left to do," Wynes said. "We're turning the corner, and there's maybe a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, but it's still really far away and we still need a lot of vaccines to light our ways through the rest of this pandemic."

Wynes said she's relieved she and her coworkers will be better protected from the virus. She also said she will feel more comfortable being around her kids once her second dose kicks in. 

Still, Wynes said she can't help but think of the other Iowans out there waiting for their turn. 

RELATED: 2,000 COVID-19 vaccines arrive at Iowa hospitals, 100 staffers vaccinated

"Really, this time around I'm aching for the rest of the community to catch up with us so we can share in this joy and share in the privileges that come with being vaccinated," Wynes said. "But until everyone gets vaccinated, I'm still going to social distance, I'm still going to wear a mask, I'm still going to do everything I can to stop the spread."

Before You Leave, Check This Out