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AOC posts video of herself getting COVID-19 vaccine [Video]
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday shared on her Instagram story that she received the COVID-19 vaccine.
- The New York congresswoman encouraged Americans to get the vaccine and explained how it works.
- The 31-year-old was slammed by some of her followers for getting the vaccine ahead of health workers and the elderly.
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recorded herself getting the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and shared it with her 8.2 million Instagram followers.
On Friday night, the Democrat congresswoman shared a video of her experience, including filling out a questionnaire, the injection itself, and the after effects.
“I would would never, ever ask you to do something I wasn’t willing to do myself,” AOC wrote in the post.
The socialist politician also answered questions from followers, describing some minor symptoms she experienced after the injection.
“I have a little muscle soreness in my arm which is not unusual with any shot. The second thing that I’m feeling is fatigue — but also, it’s been a really long time since I had a break,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
She also tried to explain simply how the mRNA vaccine differs from a traditional inoculation — by teaching cells how to make a protein that triggers an immune response, instead of giving the patient a weakened or inactivated strain of the virus.
“It’s kind of like the difference between if you had a burglar and then he broke into your house and you learn to fight him versus if someone gave you a picture of the burglar … if you see that picture and you see that guy walking towards your house, you’re like ‘oh I know that guy, he’s a burglar,’” she said.
The young congresswoman said she and other members of the House of Representatives were being “urged to take [the vaccine] as part of the government’s plan,” adding in her post that the measure was “in accordance with national security protocols.”
But some of her followers slammed the 31-year-old congresswoman for getting the shot ahead of those on the priority list. Many health care workers had not received theirs.
“AOC, I love you, but I’m a nurse and I’m still waiting to get mine so what exactly qualifies politicians to get a vaccine before healthcare workers?” one follower wrote.
“Why are you getting this before health care workers? I put breathing tubes in people’s airways for 13hrs a day,” commented someone who appeared to be a nurse.
Here’s another comment by another health care worker:
“This feels as self-serving as every other politician. It’s disappointing and a slap in the face to those of us who have showed up since March to care for others. National Security won’t be impacted by my shifts this week with COVID patients at an all time high in the hospital and no vaccine in sight.. but I’ll still providing anesthesia to very sick people and not seeing my family while politicians get prioritized over me and my coworkers. Enjoy your time off with your vaccine.. I’ll be standing in the n95 for 13+hrs a day.”
Source: New York Post
