Every American adult will soon be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, which promises to protect people from the virus and also reduce the absence of employees due to work due to illness.
In the short term, however, employers can get a bunch of paid timeless requests from the millions of individuals planned to receive the job. President Joe Biden this week appealed to all American adults – including professionals of all ages in various industries eligible for a shot by April 19.
Experts say it will help bring the country closer to so-called herd immunity. But the side effects that some people report can require workers to take a day or two off their work to recover. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vaccine can cause pain and swelling at the injection site, fatigue, chills, muscle aches, nausea and fever. In contrast, some individuals have no side effects.
“People should expect to need 24 to 48 hours of free time, but some people feel nothing,” said Dr. Neeta Ogden, a specialist in internal medicine and immunologist, told CBS MoneyWatch. “Depending on what kind of job they have, their employers need to know that it’s a possible side effect.”
Data from v-safe, a CDC record-keeping system that tracks vaccine responses, shows that at least 70% of participants reported a injection site response after both doses. Fifty percent of participants reported wider systemic reactions, affecting other parts of the body after their first shot, while 70% reported other symptoms after their second shot.
Because it is difficult to know how you will react, health experts recommend asking for time for work and other duties after vaccinations, or to plan vaccinations on a Friday to recover over the weekend.
Kamala Harris slows down
If you start to get tired after a vaccination, do not be afraid. Reactions such as fatigue and arm pain are a normal indication that the body is getting an immune response to build up protection against COVID-19, according to the CDC. However, according to health experts, the side effects can impair the ability to perform work-related activities up to 48 hours after an injection has been given.
Even U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said she had to ease her schedule to deal with side effects the day after receiving her second admission of the Moderna vaccine, one of three. Covid-19 vaccines currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
“The first dose, it was good with me. The second dose, I thought I was good. I got up early in the morning, went to work and then in the afternoon I realized, yes, I might have to slow down a bit, said Harris. during a visit to a pharmacy in Southeast Washington, DC, in February.
One shot or two?
Both the Pfizer BioNTech and Modern vaccines need two shots, and second doses tend to cause more serious side effects, according to the CDC. Doses of Pfizer are given 21 days apart, while a waiting period of 28 days is required between the first and second Moderna survey. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one shot for optimal protection against the virus.
The CDC recommends against the use of painkillers beforehand as it may dampen the effectiveness of the vaccines. For some people, the side effects can mean that you spend an uncomfortable day in bed and that you may miss work.
“It’s a good idea to listen to your body’s needs and rest when needed, or to work slower and take less responsibility if you do have to be at work,” Ogden added.
Ogden encourages employers to be flexible with employees so that they are not discouraged from being vaccinated – a potential risk for some workers if they feel they have to choose between their salary and handling the shot.
“Keep the messages in mind in advance as the suitability opens up so people feel it won’t be a problem,” she said.
Also, if employees feel the task is up to par, pain and discomfort through work will not impair the effectiveness of the vaccine, Ogden added.
Request time
While the CDC recommends that companies give employees paid sick leave if necessary for COVID-19 recovery, it is not required by federal law.
The U.S. Rescue Plan Act, signed in March, also states briefly that it requires paid leave for COVID-19 vaccinations. But it does offer tax credits to employers who provide time.
“Many employers offer paid leave for COVID-related reasons, including vaccination, and some companies even do it to encourage people to get the vaccine,” said Amber Clayton, director of the Knowledge Center at the Society for Human Resource Management. said.
Clayton is urging employees to read out their employer policies. “Either they pay paid leave, or employees will have to use their own and determine if they should take the next day or not.”
Jonathan Hyman, an employment and labor lawyer at Wickens Herzer Panza, said employees should be prepared for the “possibility that you will have side effects 24-48 hours after vaccination, and that this could be quite important.”
Employers must also be sure that they do not inadvertently create barriers for workers who are vaccinated.
‘If you have an employee who delivers a paycheck allowance and does not have free time, and the only vaccine they can get is at 1pm on a Wednesday, we really want them to choose between their salary or a vaccine that will keep them safe and healthy? Ask Hyman.