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Why Shouldn't Covid Vaccine Side Effects Scare You?

2021-04-02T00:43:32.890Z


Here we explain some of the most common side effects of covid-19 vaccines. Also how you can control them.


Side effects of the vaccine, according to a specialist 1:15

(CNN) ––

As millions of people receive the Covid-19 vaccine every day, some people have had a fever, fatigue and other effects they did not expect.

But don't panic, the doctors say.

The side effects of the covid-19 vaccines do not last long.

And they are actually proof that your immune system is working the way it's supposed to.

(Although, it should be noted that vaccines are still very effective even without side effects).

  • Symptoms that indicate that you already had covid-19

Here we explain some of the most common side effects of covid-19 vaccines.

Also how you can control them and why they should not be an excuse for not getting vaccinated.

What are the most common side effects of the covid-19 vaccine?

"The things we are seeing are pain in the arms, in the body, sometimes fatigue, sometimes even a little fever," said Dr. Peter Hotez, a vaccinologist and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor.

After Hotez received his second dose of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine, he had "chills for a couple of hours," he said.

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“And we know why this happens: because the vaccine is very powerful at inducing an immune response.

That is one of the reasons why we are achieving such high levels of protection ”against covid-19, he said.

Good or bad which Pfizer vaccine protects for 6 months?

2:31

Other side effects that can occur are pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site and possibly headache or nausea, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). ).

Let's stop for a moment, could I get COVID-19 from the vaccine?

No. It is literally impossible to get COVID-19 from any of the vaccines used in the US because none of them contain a single piece of actual coronavirus.

Here we explain how each vaccine works.

How many people have side effects?

There is no exact figure because millions of Americans get vaccinated every day and those with side effects may not report them to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

However, in vaccine trials, roughly 10-15% of immunized volunteers developed "quite noticeable side effects," Moncef Slaoui, former chief scientific adviser on so-called Operation Warp Speed, said late last year.

  • Pfizer Says Its Covid-19 Vaccine Protection Lasts At Least Six Months And Protects Against Variants

"Most people will have much less noticeable side effects," he added.

When it comes to anaphylaxis - that is, severe allergic reactions - "the current rate is two to five people per million," Hotez explained.

That means that around 0.0005% (or less) of those who get the COVID-19 vaccine have a severe reaction.

The good news is that even when serious side effects occur from the vaccine, "they usually happen within the first 30 minutes," Hotez said.

"This is why vaccination sites keep people there for 15 to 30 minutes after application, to make sure they don't have an anaphylactic reaction," he added.

What are the risks of the allergy vaccine?

28:24

The CDC recommends that people with a history of a severe allergic reaction to another vaccine or a history of anaphylaxis stay for 30 minutes after being vaccinated.

Other people could leave after 15 minutes.

All sites that administer COVID-19 vaccines must be equipped with epinephrine.

Precisely, to quickly combat any case of anaphylaxis, the CDC pointed out.

By the end of March, more than 150 million doses of vaccines had been administered.

And so far, there is no evidence of any deaths caused by a COVID-19 vaccine, the CDC said.

Do some vaccines produce more side effects than others?

Every body is different.

So the exact same vaccine can make one person feel sick for one day and another feel perfectly fine.

That said, “mRNA vaccines - Pfizer / BioNTech's and Moderna's - are what's called more reactogenic.

Which means there are more side effects, ”Hotez explained.

'They are not serious side effects.

But, they can be unpleasant and can sometimes last a day or two.

Usually this is not the case.

Usually they last a few hours, "he emphasized.

  • Faced with the desire for a vaccine against the coronavirus: what happens if there are adverse effects on people?

Both the Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna vaccines provide approximately 95% protection against the symptomatic COVID-19.

And both are virtually 100% effective against severe disease covid-19.

In their clinical trials, none of the vaccinated participants died from COVID-19.

On the other hand, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is not an mRNA vaccine.

Among trial participants in the US, it was 72% effective against COVID-19 and 85% effective against severe COVID-19.

Like the other two vaccines, no volunteers vaccinated during the clinical trial died from the virus.

Is it true that the second dose is worse than the first?

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine only requires one dose.

But the Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have two doses.

It's true that some people have reported stronger side effects after their second doses, according to Pfizer and Moderna.

But again, that's another sign that vaccines are doing what they are supposed to do.

"With the first dose, you have to generate an immune response from scratch," explained Michael Worobey, professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona.

Side effects of the vaccine, according to a specialist 1:15

The body produces antibodies, but it also begins to generate immune cells called B cells to produce targeted antibodies.

And that takes time, Worobey noted.

"Then the second time you inject (the vaccine) into a person, those cells stay like an army of clones and can immediately start to produce a great immune response, which is what happens when people are in pain," he added the expert.

Some vaccines elicit a large response with a single dose, said Professor Thomas Geisbert, an expert on emerging viral threats at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

However, the second dose of vaccines that require two injections creates a more durable defense force.

Can I skip the second dose to avoid stronger side effects?

That's a very bad idea, Hotez warned.

Not only would you lose a greater protection, but you would probably reduce the period of its defense.

"Your immune system is already activated from the first dose," Geisbert said.

So, with a second dose, "you tend to develop a longer and longer lasting response."

Can I take over-the-counter medicine if I have side effects?

"You can take these drugs to ease post-vaccination side effects if you don't have other medical reasons that prevent you from taking the drugs normally," the CDC warned.

  • What is the effect of the Covid-19 vaccine on a person who has already had the disease?

But, "it is not recommended that you take over-the-counter medications - such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or acetaminophen - before vaccination to try to prevent vaccine-related side effects."

"It is not yet known how these drugs might affect the effectiveness of the vaccine," the agency noted.

“However, if you take these medications regularly for other reasons, you should continue to do so before you get vaccinated.

It is also not recommended to take antihistamines before receiving the COVID-19 vaccine to try to prevent allergic reactions.

When should I seek help if my side effects seem serious?

"In most cases, discomfort from pain or fever is a normal sign that your body is building protection," the CDC explained.

But, you should contact your doctor or healthcare provider if the side effects from the vaccine worry you or don't seem to go away after a few days.

The same in the case that the redness or sensitivity of the place where you received the injection worsens after 24 hours.

If there is the possibility of side effects, do healthy young adults really need to be vaccinated?

Why is it important to vaccinate adolescents?

0:58

There are many reasons why young, healthy people should get the Covid-19 vaccine.

On the one hand,

a new dangerous and highly contagious variant is affecting young people

.

"In the Upper Midwest, we are starting to see many young adults getting sick and going to the hospital for COVID-19 due to variant B.1.1.7," Hotez said.

“So remember that variant B.1.1.7 is different from the previous types of COVID-19 infections that we have seen.

It is a more serious and possibly more severe disease among young people.

Also

young people can have complications covid-19 long -

term.

Although they are less likely to die from the virus, many young, healthy people suffer from the long-term effects of COVID-19.

Many suffer from chronic fatigue, chest pain, shortness of breath, and confusion months after becoming infected.

In fact, a recent study found that 30% of people infected with COVID-19 continued to have symptoms for up to nine months after becoming infected.

  • Clinics are springing up in the U.S. for what some call a possible second pandemic: long-term covid carriers

Young people can be easy transmitters of coronavirus.

Recently, several states reported covid-19 spikes in young people.

"Much of the spread is occurring among young people," said Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the School of Public Health at Brown University.

"That is the group that moves, relaxes, gets infected," he added.

Nor should we forget that

if there are not enough people vaccinated, we will never achieve herd immunity

.

"It is important to vaccinate as many adults as possible as soon as possible," said Dr. Jorge Rodríguez, a specialist in internal medicine.

"If you want to open the United States, get vaccinated."

Should I take a day off after getting vaccinated?

It's not necessary, but Hotez suggests taking it easy for a day after each dose.

"After your first or second dose, what I am recommending is that people do not try to have an overly ambitious schedule for the next 24 hours," he said.

In other words, if you are getting vaccinated, don't schedule an important meeting or an important presentation or a meaningful family event.

And then don't be ambitious with your activities the day you get vaccinated and the next day.

Now that's just being cautious, he said.

"You are most likely fine."

This is the vaccination for people over 40 in Miami 3:20

Are the side effects worth it?

Absolutely.

"Remember what we are protecting ourselves against," Hotez replied.

“We are protecting ourselves against a disease that has claimed the lives of more than half a million Americans.

Therefore, it is a very modest price to pay ”, he completed.

Even those who suffered negative side effects said they have no regrets.

"I actually had some pretty significant symptoms after getting the second dose," said Yasir Batalvi, who volunteered for Moderna's vaccine trial.

"That night was difficult.

I mean, I had a mild fever, fatigue, and chills, ”he said.

But the next morning, Batalvi "felt ready to go."

In that sense, he said that he encourages all people to get vaccinated because the benefits greatly outweigh the side effects.

"I think large-scale vaccination is really the only realistic way out of the pandemic," he said.

«I got vaccinated, it was fine.

I think we can overcome this, ”he insisted.

CNN's Maggie Fox and Ryan Prior contributed to this report.

Covid-19 Side Effects Pandemic Coronavirus Vaccine

Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2021-04-02

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