Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recorded her experience with the COVID-19 vaccine and shared it with her 8.2 million Instagram followers.
The first-year representative from parts of the Bronx and Queens on Friday night shared a video of herself before the shooting, including filling out a questionnaire, the injection itself, as well as what she felt afterwards.
“I would never ask you to do something I wasn’t willing to do myself,” he wrote in the message.
The Social Democrat also responded to questions from supporters, saying she experienced some minor symptoms after inoculation.
“I have a little muscle pain in my arm that is not uncommon with any shot. The second thing I feel is fatigue, but it’s also been a long time since I had a break, ”said the representative, referring to the weekend marathon session on Capitol Hill.
Ocasio-Cortez also tried to explain in simple terms the difference of the mRNA vaccine from traditional inoculation, teaching cells how to make a protein that triggers an immune response, rather than injecting the patient with a weakened virus strain or inactivated.
“It’s a bit like the difference between having a thief and then coming into your house and learning to fight him if someone gave you a picture of the thief … if you see that picture and you see that guy walking towards your house , you’re like, “oh, I know this guy, he’s a thief,” the 31-year-old said.
Ocasio-Cortez said she and other members of the House of Representatives were “urged to take [the vaccine] as part of the government’s plan, ”adding in its message that the measure was“ in accordance with national security protocols ”.
But the video didn’t go down well with all of his followers, with some doubts about why politicians got the shot before many health workers had received his.
“AOC, I love you, but I’m a nurse and I’m still waiting to get mine. What exactly qualifies politicians to get a vaccine before health workers?” commented a follower.
“Why do you get it before health workers? I put breathing tubes in people’s airways for 13 hours a day, ”said another.
“It simply came to our notice then. It’s disappointing and a slap in the face to those of us who have introduced ourselves since March to caring for others. National security will not be affected by my shifts this week with patients with COVID at the maximum height of the hospital and no vaccines in sight .. but I will continue to provide anesthesia to very sick people and without seeing my family while the politicians have priority over me and my co-workers. Enjoy your free time with the vaccine … I’ll be on the n95 for another 13 hours a day. “
Ocasio-Cortez’s Deco dog didn’t seem excited about the video either: he could be heard snoring loudly in the background during his explanations.