From Women’s Day
Once a distant dream, the coronavirus vaccine is now a reality. More than 10% of American adults have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and the number is expected to rise rapidly as the rollout begins in high gear.
President Joe Biden told a news conference on March 2 that by the end of May, the United States will have enough COVID-19 doses for every adult in America. “It’s progress,” he told CNN. “We have to be vigilant, act quickly and aggressively and look out for each other. This is how we are going to put this virus forward, get our economy going again and return to our loved ones. ”
There are three COVID-19 vaccines that have received FDA approval based on clinical trials: the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccinations.
The distribution of vaccines differs between countries, so your place in the queue may look a little different from another country across the country. But depending on where you live, you may be able to receive your dose soon.
It is therefore understandable to ask questions about how the vaccines work, what possible side effects it may have and why it is important to get one when you are eligible so that you feel fully informed by the time that your turn comes inoculated. Here’s everything you need to know.
First, what’s in the COVID-19 vaccines?
It depends on the vaccine. Pfizer and Moderna’s respective mRNA vaccines, for example, contain similar ingredients that are packaged just a little differently, says infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Safety.
Vaccines contain ingredients such as preservatives (to prevent contamination), adjuvants such as aluminum salts (to promote the body’s response to the vaccine), and stabilizers such as sugar or gelatin (to keep the vaccine effective after manufacture), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“There needs to be material in a vaccine to make sure it’s stable and can really function,” says William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “No vaccine is just the antigen,” he adds, which is any substance that causes your immune system to produce antibodies against it.
How do the COVID-19 vaccines work?
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use messenger RNA (mRNA), a newer technology that encodes a portion of the spike protein gene in SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus. It is the part of the virus that clings to human cells. The mRNA vaccines do it not inject live or inactive virus into your body, but instead use pieces of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material.
In essence, according to the CDC, your cells are instructed to develop a piece of the vein protein (the antigen). It triggers an immune response and you develop antibodies specific for SARS-CoV-2. Your body eliminates the protein and the mRNA, but those antibodies stick to protect you from future COVID-19 infection. (It is also important to note that according to your CDC, mRNA does not alter your DNA.)
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a viral vector vaccine, which means that it uses another, inactivated virus to give instructions to your cells in the form of a gene, explains the CDC. For this vaccine, a modified adenovirus (a cold virus that cannot reproduce in the body or cause disease) produces a gene that instructs your cells to make a piece of the coronavirus protein. It causes the production of antibodies that fight infections, so your immune system remembers how you should react to the protein if you become infected in the future.
What are the possible side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine?
It is important to remember that you will be informed about side effects before you receive your first dose of the vaccine, says Dr. Schaffner. Since healthcare professionals have first offered the vaccine, your doctor may offer you information based on personal experience as well as new information that has been released.
What experts have learned so far is promising. Data from both animal and human trials show that the vaccines have a ‘favorable safety profile’, says Dr. Adalja. In addition, it is important to remember that this is so. potential side effects – which means you can experience nothing at all.
Each vaccine is slightly different, but in general, experts say that it is possible to have the following side effects with any of the COVID-19 vaccines:
“It’s similar to what you would expect with the flu vaccine,” says Thomas Russo, MD, professor and head of infectious diseases at Buffalo University in New York. ‘[The side effects] usually only lasts a day or so. They are not serious or worrying. The flu shot can cause pain in the arm, swelling at the injection site, low fever and other flu-like symptoms.
The side effects of vaccines “basically show that the immune system is being prepared,” says Richard Watkins, MD, an infectious disease and professor of internal medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University. Remember, your body learns to set up a response to SARS-CoV-2 so that it can lead to short-term symptoms.
It is also important to note that the second dose may cause more side effects than the first dose if you are given the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, says Dr. Schaffner.
How common are the possible side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine?
Moderna reported in mid-November that the following side effects were most common among patients in his trial:
Pfizer believes that the following side effects have occurred in some patients:
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fatigue (3.8%)
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headache (2%)
The FDA says that patients experience these side effects with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but does not specify how often it occurs:
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injection site pain
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redness at the injection site
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swelling at the injection site
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headache
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fatigue
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muscle aches
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nausea
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fever
In addition to redness and swelling around the injection site shortly after vaccination, a small number of people also experience a delayed arm rash with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. This can occur seven to ten days after a person receives his dose (usually the second one). Although it can be irritating due to redness, swelling or itching, experts say that it resolves on its own and disappears within a few days of it appearing.
What about long-term side effects?
Although the COVID-19 vaccines have been thoroughly tested, the results of which have been carefully evaluated by the FDA and CDC, it will take medical experts some time to gather data on possible long-term side effects. Dr Russo notes that vaccine manufacturers, as well as the FDA, will continue to collect detailed data as the vaccines are still being released to the general public.
How to see the difference between side effects of vaccines and actual symptoms of coronavirus
Just like the flu shot can not give you, the COVID-19 vaccine will not give you COVID-19. However, there is still a chance that you could become infected with COVID-19 after being vaccinated (or pre). The risk is then significantly reduced, but only after your body has time to build up a strong immunity to the virus, which can last for several weeks.
If you do become infected, the symptoms can not be distinguished, with the exception of shortness of breath, which should not occur after the vaccine, “says Dr. Adalja.” Loss of taste and smell is also not something you do after the vaccination do not experience. “
Any side effects that follow your vaccination will usually last only a day or two, while true COVID-19 symptoms will last longer. If you have mild symptoms that last for two to three days after vaccination (for any authorized vaccine) or between vaccine doses (for Pfizer or Moderna), call your doctor for guidance.
Should I worry about allergic reactions?
If you have a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in a particular vaccine, or have a severe allergic reaction to any vaccine or injectable treatment, ask your doctor if you should get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Although severe allergic reactions to the vaccine may occur, it is rare. A CDC report in January found that the risk of developing a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine was 0.001%, based on data available so far. Usually, allergic reactions occur within 10 to 15 minutes after receiving your dose, based on data we have from the mRNA vaccines, says Dr Adalja. Therefore, the CDC recommends keeping 15 minutes after your vaccination if you have no history of allergies and 30 minutes if you do.
It is possible to develop symptoms later, such as a red rash around the injection site. If you are in any way bothered or worried about a reaction, dr. Watkins to call your doctor. If you develop symptoms of severe allergic reactions, such as swelling of the face or difficulty breathing, call for medical help immediately.
Why is it important to get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Getting the vaccine has several benefits, says Dr. Adalja. The big one? We can safely establish community immunity so that you, your loved ones and those who are most vulnerable can be protected from the virus if a threshold for vaccination is reached. Vaccination especially provides protection against serious complications of the virus if someone becomes ill, which prevents the risk of hospitalization or death.
This is a high order because experts estimate that approximately 70% of the people in the US (200 million) need to be vaccinated to specifically reach this level of protection for COVID-19. But with the approval of a third vaccine and an ongoing deployment, the US is finally starting to see a dip in confirmed coronavirus infections. Until then, continue to follow the recommended COVID-19 prevention guidelines, such as wearing a mask, doing social distances, and washing your hands regularly.
This article is accurate from press time. As the COVID-19 pandemic develops rapidly and the scientific community’s understanding of the new coronavirus develops, some information may have changed since it was last updated. As we strive to keep all our stories up to date, please visit the online resources provided by the CDC, WHO, and yours local department of public health to stay up to date with the latest news. Always talk to your doctor for professional medical advice.
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