- The Modern
clinical trials found that pain, fatigue, headaches and pains at the injection site were usually reported after vaccination. - Since millions of people got the vaccine out of trials, the biggest side effects are the pain at the injection site, along with chills, headaches and fever.
- In general, older adults are less likely to experience side effects after vaccination.
More than 47 million doses of the Moderna vaccine have been administered to American adults since the FDA released it
The Modern
Now, with so many shots in the arms, we were able to investigate the side effects caused by the Moderna vaccine even more clearly.
Like those involved in the clinical trials, people usually reported pain at the injection site, along with chills, headaches, and fever.
There have also been several reports of ‘COVID arm’ after the vaccination of Moderna, a harmless skin rash that is likely to be caused by the ingredients of the vaccine.
The reactions are usually more intense after the second dose and in people who have previously developed COVID-19.
Doctors of infectious diseases say that these reactions are to be expected, as it indicates that the immune system is doing its job to recognize and fight the coronavirus.
Injection pain, cold fever, headache and fever are the
All of these reactions – which are temporary and not threatening – indicate that the vaccine is doing its job. They usually go up within a few days.
“While the vaccine ‘trains’ your immune system to start developing antibodies, the pain is a sign of the inflammation that occurs as part of this process,” said Dr. Shobha Swaminathan, associate professor of medicine told Rutgers New Jersey Medical. School and clinical research site leader for the Rutgers Moderna trial.
Like other vaccines, each person’s reaction may be slightly different.
In general, older adults are less likely to experience side effects after vaccination.
It is unclear exactly why side effects may differ between the sexes. Some health experts suspect that women are more likely to report side effects, while others believe there is a biological component.
Several people also reported skin rashes on the arm where they received the shot – also known as COVID arm.
“This is a fairly common side effect and probably has to do with the ingredients in the vaccine that are meant to teach the immune system that something dangerous is being introduced,” said Dr. Anne Liu, a physician for infectious diseases at Stanford Health Care, explains.
Anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction, appears to be rare. Anaphylaxis also appears to be
The Moderna shot is a messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine that teaches our cells to make a piece of SARS-CoV-2 protein and set up an immune response against it.
This way, if someone is exposed to the coronavirus, their body will already know how to fight it and prevent serious diseases.
According to Swaminathan, the first dose is considered ‘the prime’ and exercises your body to recognize the virus.
“Since this is the first exposure, reactions tend to be mild,” Swaminathan said.
The second dose, the booster, further cements the immune response.
“Since the patients had ‘seen’ the vaccine already from the first shot, the second enhancer is an exaggerated reaction to it,” Swaminathan said.
Research suggests that reactions are more intense in people who have previously had COVID-19, because they are likely to have some degree of existing immunity.
Reactions to the Moderna vaccine are similar to those reported after the Pfizer vaccination, which is also an mRNA vaccine.
Recipients of both the Moderna and Pfizer mRNA vaccines usually reported injection site pain and redness after the first dose, along with fatigue and joint pain after the second dose.
“The responses to the mRNA vaccines were not different, certainly not to the extent that an individual had to choose one or the other based on side effects,” Liu said.
In clinical trials, the Johnson & Johnson shot was associated with milder side effects compared to the mRNA shots.
“Since Moderna and Pfizer required two shots, and most of the side effects were from the second shot, the J&J vaccine may have slightly fewer side effects,” Swaminathan said.
With more than 47 million doses of the Moderna vaccine given to Americans, we get a clearer picture of the types of side effects that can occur after vaccination.
People usually experience injection site pain and redness after the first dose, along with fatigue and joint pain after the second dose.
Reactions tend to be more intense after the second dose and in people who have previously had COVID-19.
The reactions are to be expected and indicate that the vaccine is doing its job to teach the immune system how to recognize and fight the coronavirus.