COVID-19 Vaccine Questions Concerns and Experiences

[CT Tiger 136]

I don't know if a thread like this already exists (searched; found nothing) so I figured I'd make a thread where people can ask any questions, air any concerns, or share their experience after receiving the Moderna and Pfizer (mRNA) vaccines. I work as an educator in the healthcare field so I am pretty familiar with these vaccines and can try to answer any questions people might have. Keep in mind though, I am NOT an MD or DO or a microbiologist or virologist; my background is in public health and health policy, however, I do work with MDs, microbiologists, and virologists. They were the first folks I reached out to discuss the safety of a vaccine that was seemingly developed so quick (spoiler: it kind of wasn't; mRNA vaccines as a technology had been in development for decades but the funding to get them across the finish line was lacking because the cost/benefit wasn't worth it). I also wanted to know what makes them so confident there will not be any longer term side effects, and also to explain in layman's terms how exactly the vaccine works.

I'm sure we have some folks in science on these boards that hopefully are willing to chime in as well. 

Anyway, I got my second dose (Moderna) last Thursday, and although Friday was a doozey (take the next day off work after dose two!), I was pretty much feeling normal on Saturday--maybe a bit tired. Anyone else get either their first or second dose yet? Which vaccine did you get?