the covid-19 vaccine rollout across canada has ramped up considerably in recent weeks and the country is days away from passing the united states in the percentage of population that has had at least one dose.and as more people get vaccinated, the potential side effects are becoming of greater concern — and interest. just a quick glance at social media will and you will find countless post-vaccine stories, with some people reporting fevers and time off of work, while others complain of a sore arm, and then there are those who worry because they have felt nothing at all.but are side effects a way to measure how protected you are from covid-19?
side effects may vary first of all, whether it’s your first or second dose, the side effects of the covid-19 vaccines differ wildly. according to the cdc, pain, redness and swelling on the arm where you had the shot are common, as is tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever and nausea. for the second shot, symptoms could be worse than the first time.
according to a u.k. study that surveyed more than 200,000 people, 14 per cent of people reported at least one whole body (systemic) after effect within the seven days from the first dose compared to 22 per cent from the second dose.
secondly, it’s completely normal to have a different reaction to any vaccine than your family and friends. health, sex, age, genetics, pre-existing conditions and immunities, nutrition and environmental factors all add up to different results for different people. there is even some evidence that your reaction to a vaccine could be different
depending on the time of day you got it. and in one u.s.
study, 79 per cent of reports of the covid-19 vaccine side effects were from women. some doctors have chalked that up to testosterone which is known to keep inflammation down.whether or not you have had the virus can also impact your chances of experiencing vaccine side effects.
reserch in the united kingdom found that “people who have had a previous covid-19 infection are almost twice as likely to experience one or more mild whole body (systemic) after effects compared to people who didn’t have covid-19.”
relax. you are protected. while experiencing side effects is not a lot of fun, even if you don’t, it doesn’t meant that the vaccine isn’t working, or that you aren’t protected.
moderna and
pfizer clinical trials, a significant portion of participants didn’t experience any side effects at all and were still found to be highly protected against covid-19.
“the clinical trials showed nearly everybody after two doses had virtually 100 per cent protection against severe covid, hospitalization and death from covid, regardless of what vaccine you got and the side effects you had,” said dr. karina top, a vaccine expert at the canadian centre for vaccinology in halifax
told maclean’s in an interview. “i wouldn’t worry if you didn’t have any of those symptoms; i wouldn’t be worried if you did.”the bottom line is that side effects or not, your immune system is doing what it needs to do. if it makes you feel better, think about the likely dozens of times you have come into contact with a virus and yet felt nothing because your body is taking care of it in the background. and so the moral of the story? if you are feeling a little crappy after your shot, it’s working. if you are feeling the same as the day before, it’s working.
nick beare is a writer with healthing.ca.
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