With more and more people getting vaccinated every day, some have complained of fever, chills and other unexpected side effects. Doctors are advising to stay calm. Side effects can be proof that your immune system is working as it should. Let's take a look at some of the most common adverse side effects of COVID-19 vaccines , how you can deal with them and why you shouldn't use them as an excuse to skip getting vaccinated.
And all this at a critical moment, where the number of deaths from the pandemic unfortunately hit a negative record on April 15, 2021 .
What are the most common side effects of COVID-19 vaccines?
What we usually see is arm and body pain, fatigue, and sometimes even a low-grade fever.
Dr. Peter Hotez, Vaccinologist and Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine
After Dr. Hotez received the second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, he said he had chills for a few hours, claiming that this is because the vaccine is very potent in inducing an immune response. This is one of the reasons why we have such high levels of protection against Covid-19.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, other possible side effects of COVID-19 vaccines are pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site and possibly headache or nausea.
How many people experience side effects?
Even in the United States, where millions of Americans are vaccinated every day, it is not certain that those who experience side effects report them to the federal vaccine adverse event reporting system. However, in vaccine trials, about 10% to 15% of immunized volunteers developed fairly noticeable side effects, former Warp Speed CEO Moncef Slaoui said late last year.
He also emphasized that after being vaccinated, it is crucial to continue wearing a mask .
Regarding anaphylaxis or severe allergic reactions, the rate currently in the US is around 0.0005% (or less) according to Professor Hotez.
For this reason, the CDC recommends that people who have had a severe allergic reaction to a previous vaccine or a history of anaphylaxis in general remain in the area for 30 minutes after vaccination.
Are there vaccines that cause more side effects than others?
Every person is different. So the exact same vaccine can make someone “sick” for a whole day and another person feels perfectly fine. According to Dr. Hotez, mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer and Moderna, are the most reactive, meaning they have more side effects. Without being serious, they can be unpleasant and sometimes can last up to two days. But they usually only last a few hours, if any.
Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines provide about 95% protection against symptomatic Covid-19 and are 100% effective against severe Covid-19 disease. In their clinical trials, none of those vaccinated died from coronavirus.
Johnson & Johnson's vaccine is not mRNA .In trials conducted in the US, it was 72% effective against Covid-19 and 85% against severe Covid-19. Again, none of those vaccinated during the clinical trial died from Covid-19.
Is it true that the second dose causes worse side effects?
According to Pfizer and Moderna, it is true that some people reported stronger side effects after the second dose, but this is another sign that the vaccines are working.
According to Michael Worobey , a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona, the first dose creates an immune response from scratch.
In addition to antibodies, our bodies start to create immune cells that produce targeted antibodies, and this takes time. With the second dose, these cells that are waiting like an army of clones immediately start to produce a very large immune response, which makes the vaccinees feel like they have been kicked in the teeth.
According to Professor Thomas Geisbert , an expert in emerging viral threats at the University of Texas Medical Branch, the second dose in two-dose vaccines creates a long-lasting line of defense against Covid-19.
Can I skip the second dose to avoid stronger side effects?
As Professor Geisbert suggests and according to Hotez, it would be a very bad idea since you will lose the increased protection, but you will probably also reduce the length of time it lasts.
Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine?
The answer is an emphatic NO. It is literally impossible to catch Covid-19 from any of the approved vaccines in use, because none of them contain a single piece of the actual coronavirus .
Can I take over-the-counter medications if I experience side effects?
According to the CDC , you can take common medications (ibuprofen, aspirin, or acetaminophen) to relieve side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine if there is no other medical reason that prevents you from taking them. But not before getting vaccinated to prevent side effects since it is not yet known how these medications might affect the vaccine's effectiveness.
It is also not recommended to take antihistamines before the COVID-19 vaccine to prevent possible allergic reactions.
In any case, you should contact your doctor or healthcare provider if you experience side effects, especially if they persist after a few days .
Are the potential side effects worth it?
According to Dr. Hotez, absolutely. We are trying to protect against a disease that has killed more than half a million Americans. The price of side effects is very small.
Even those who had severe side effects, especially after the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine , like Yasir Batalvi, a volunteer in Moderna's vaccine trial, said they have no regrets and encourage everyone to get vaccinated because the benefits far outweigh the side effects.
Source: CNN Health