Know About COVID-19 Vaccine’s Side Effects

What Are the Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines?

The side effects of COVID-19 vaccines are:

• Redness in the injection site.

• Swelling and pain in the injection site.

• Muscle pain.

• Headache.

• Tiredness.

• Nausea.

• Fever.

• Chills.

Any symptoms found at the site of injection are usually common. The other symptoms might subside in a short span of time. Side effects should not be seen as a negative factor because it is an indication that the body is working on protective mechanisms. Some side effects can be really difficult to handle, and they can even cause an individual to refrain from daily activities. It should usually resolve on its own. You can consider taking a few medications like Aspirin, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, and Antihistamines for your body pain and discomfort. These medications will be helpful in relieving the post-vaccination symptoms.

People who received vaccines like Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna reported more side effects after receiving the second dose. Approximately 23 people from Norway died after being vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech. There was no specific evidence to show that the vaccines were the only cause for death in these people. People with underlying health issues have a noticeable aggravation of side effects. This has made doctors diagnose sick people in a deeper manner before administering the vaccination.

In the United States of America, death has occurred after receiving vaccination due to the poor levels of blood platelets. Also, there is no actual evidence to prove the correlation between death and the vaccine. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has caused more than 30 cases of blood clots in patients. Since the risk of blood clots was low, the European Medicines Agency declared that Oxford-AstraZeneca is a safe vaccine. But countries like Norway, Germany, France, and Denmark have stopped the distribution and usage of Oxford-AstraZeneca.

The Indian version of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is Covishield. However, there have not been any reported cases of blood clots in people who received the Covishield vaccine. Therefore, the distribution of this vaccine has not been interrupted.

When Is a Person Fully Vaccinated?

Some vaccines require two doses, while others require only one dose. In the two-dose vaccine, the process of vaccination is complete only after receiving the two doses. The vaccines that require two doses are:

• Moderna.

• Pfizer-BioNTech.

• Covaxin.

• Covishield.

• Coronavac.

• Novavax.

• Sputnik V.

• Oxford-AstraZeneca.

Vaccines like Johnson and Johnson need only one dosage. Receiving one dose of Johnson and Johnson is considered a complete state of vaccination. Each and every vaccine has a specific time interval between the doses. It is necessary for the individual to be aware of it.

What Is the Necessity for Two Doses of Vaccine?

Researchers identified that certain vaccines need two doses. There is a requirement for two doses because, in some vaccines, only a mild immune response was evoked when one dosage was provided. In order to improve the stronger immune response, another dosage was added. The first dosage built a basic level of protection, and this was reinforced by the second dosage. It is necessary to follow the exact time interval between the first and the second doses. The influence of delayed second dose has not been identified yet, and so it is necessary to stay aware and careful.

What Are the Dos and Don’ts After Receiving a Vaccination?

After receiving the vaccine, there are certain factors you can stop doing. Also, there are a few points you need to be aware of.

• Do’s:

  • You should stay away from other people for a duration of 14 days after receiving the vaccination. If you do not experience any symptoms, then you can freely start living in a group indoors.

  • You can stay indoors without wearing a mask if your surrounding people have received the vaccination.

  • When you go outside, you still have to maintain a social distance of six feet.

  • Frequent hand washing and sanitizing measures.

• Don’ts:

  • Avoid gathering around non-vaccinated people.

  • Avoid huge gatherings.

  • Avoid international travel.

  • Avoid staying in unventilated areas.

  • You should not go outside if you suspect symptoms of COVID-19 in any of your family members.

Why Does the Second Dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine Have Intense Side Effects?

Many medical experts report that people who receive the second dosage of the COVID-19 vaccine express a higher degree of intense symptoms than the people who receive the first dose. The side effects might be mild, and they usually disappear within 48 hours of vaccination. The common symptoms experienced after the second shot of COVID-19 vaccines are headache, fatigue, fever, and soreness at the site of injection. These side effects do not depict a bad sign. The common signs of side effects expressed by the vaccine are created due to the immune response that is generated in the body. These side effects are positive signs of the human body responding to the vaccines of COVID-19. Another good thing is that the side effects are seen only for a short duration, and it is better than getting a positive condition of COVID and then trying to recover from it.

It has been noted that more than fifty-five million doses have been given to the people of the United States of America. Reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that more than fifteen million second shots were given. Initially, the vaccine will teach the human body to react to the virus, and the second dose will help in providing complete vaccination. The first shot will stimulate the antibodies and specific cells called memory cells. These stimulated factors will respond to the viral proteins of COVID-19.

The intense side effects seen in the second shot were not a new and unpredictable phenomenon. The severity of the symptoms after getting two doses of vaccines was noted with tetanus and zoster too. In fact, people were mentally prepared to expect an intense degree of symptoms, but still, they managed to end up with a mild reaction. Experiencing symptoms like fatigue was common and did not require any special medical attention. The appearance of side effects was visibly noted more among the young people than the older people. On analyzing various factors, medical field experts gave a positive explanation that the strong immunity found in older people was the reason for their fewer side effects.

Should We Worry About the Side Effects?

It is true that some people are in a panic state about the side effects. If you do not have any side effects, then it is absolutely not a worrying factor. If you experience any symptoms, you do not have to panic because it is going to last only for a few days. Any absence of side effects does not show that your immune system is poor and not responding to the vaccine. People should not stress about the side effects, and they should confidently start to receive the vaccination. By the end of the first dose, 50 percent of the immunity is boosted, and by the end of the second dose, 95 percent of the immunity will be delivered within two weeks. After the complete development of immunity, the human body will be effective against all the symptoms of COVID-19.

When Do You Need Medical Care?

You should contact your healthcare provider if you have pain or redness in the injection site for more than 24 hours. If you experience any abnormal symptoms, you have to report them to a doctor immediately.

Call a doctor online for more information.