Vaccine side effects?

[PhilipRhayader]

Had 'flu vaccination in October - absolutely no side effects at all.

Had first Covid vaccination five weeks ago - absolutely no side effects at all.

 

[MotCO]

Both my wife and I had the Pfizer about 3 weeks ago. Had a sore upper arm for 24 hours (but not bad enough for any paracetamol). Out of 9 family members, only one 'real' reaction.

 

[DelW]

I had mine almost a month ago (Pfizer), age late 60s. No side effects other than a slight ache in my arm the next day when I was stretching to get something down off a high shelf.

 

[Big Tim]

I had mine last Saturday. I'm 41, overweight but reasonably active and lead a normal sort of a life. Had absolutely no side effects whatsoever. I've had the flu jab every year since 2007, and have only had side effects once (probably 2014 or 15) which really hit me bad and felt like I had real flu (confined to bed, the hot & cold sweats, stiffened joints, "heebie jeebies" et al!).

My mum got her first dose seven weeks back (77 y/o) and had a slightly sore arm, she's quite frail and does suffer bad reactions with certain allergies, but nothing to worry about with this particular one. My dad (71 y/o) had his first dose nearly four weeks ago, and absolutely no adverse reactions.

We all received the same AZ (Oxford) vaccine, at the same site (York, Askham Bar). And will be back for the second dose when we're called.

 

[Master Cutler]

Zero side effects for me, not even a mark on my arm.
My wife however had side effects as previous posters have mentioned.
We both had the Oxford vaccine.
I did have a laugh with the nurses though, when asked if I was left or right handed, all I said was it depends what I'm doing, and they both bust out laughing.
Can't think why.

 

[Shrewbly]

I had a slightly sore arm for two days after the Pfizer, but it's fine now. Coincidentally my daughter had her standard teenage vaccinations and boosters at around the same time and she also had a sore arm for two days, so I think that's just a common vaccine reaction. My mother (89) has had both her Pfizer vaccinations and had no reaction either time.

 

[P Binnersley]

My wife (an ex nurse) says relaxing the arm when being injected helps prevent soreness.

I had the AZ with no side effects.

 

[joebassman]

I just had a sore arm from where the jab was but other than that was perfectly fine with my first one

 

[johnnychips]

A lot of people at my workplace are classed as carers, including me, and got the Pfizer vaccine at the same time. Most people got a pain in the arm for two days; a few said they were tired, but only two out of twenty felt flu-ey. We’re all fine now and looking forward to the second dose.

 

[furlong]

So has everyone who mentioned a side-effect remembered to report it so that it gets included in the statistics?

Summary of the current reports:

For both vaccines, the overwhelming majority of reports relate to injection-site reactions (sore arm for example) and generalised symptoms such as ‘flu-like’ illness, headache, chills, fatigue (tiredness), nausea (feeling sick), fever, dizziness, weakness, aching muscles, and rapid heartbeat. Generally, these happen shortly after the vaccination and are not associated with more serious or lasting illness.
...
The number and nature of suspected adverse reactions reported so far are not unusual in comparison to other types of routinely used vaccines
...
Based on current experience, the expected benefits of both COVID-19 vaccines in preventing COVID-19 and its serious complications far outweigh any known side effects

 

[MAV39]

I had my first dose of the AZ vaccine in early March with no side effects whatsoever.

My wife had hers on the next day and suffered cold chills during the next night, all side effects had cleared 24 hrs after the vaccination though. We did report her side effects to the MHRA Yellow Card website (https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/).

 

[birchesgreen]

My wife's side effects from her Wednesday AZ jab (cold or flu like symptoms) have gone after a good night's sleep and a couple of paracetamol as seems to be the case with many people, its short lived.

 

[Inversnecky]

i will say one thing, after the daily stresses of never ending Zoom calls, emails and WhatsApp messages, after two days exhausted in bed, I now feel rather relaxed and mellow. I definitely needed the unwind - so a positive side effect of the negative one.

 

[Bald Rick]

Mrs BR had hers* and arranged to spend the next day in bed in case she felt unwell. Which she did. Spend all day in bed that is, with me running around doing everything. She had no side effects.


*she wants to make it absolutely clear to that she definitely isn’t 50 or over.

 

[swt_passenger]

Pfizer 3 weeks ago. I felt last autumns flu jab far more.

 

[Cowley]

Mrs BR had hers* and arranged to spend the next day in bed in case she felt unwell. Which she did. Spend all day in bed that is, with me running around doing everything. She had no side effects.


*she wants to make it absolutely clear to that she definitely isn’t 50 or over.

 

[Gloster]

Just to say that I haven’t had the jab yet as I only got my invitation a week or so ago. I am, very probably, just getting over a bout of COVID; I am not one hundred percent sure as I haven’t been tested as I tend to gag when the spatula goes down my throat. (They tried testing me when I was in a care home (*), and found that I and one of the nurses couldn’t keep the spatula in place long enough to give a clear test.) However, I have had most of the symptoms, except the continuous cough, to a greater or lesser extent, including a heart rate over a hundred for a while. All I can say is that none of the above symptoms seem anything like as bad as those I have had for about three or four days.

* - Autocorrect inserted cats home.

 

[Inversnecky]

Just to say that I haven’t had the jab yet as I only got my invitation a week or so ago. I am, very probably, just getting over a bout of COVID; I am not one hundred percent sure as I haven’t been tested as I tend to gag when the spatula goes down my throat. (They tried testing me when I was in a care home (*), and found that I and one of the nurses couldn’t keep the spatula in place long enough to give a clear test.) However, I have had most of the symptoms, except the continuous cough, to a greater or lesser extent, including a heart rate over a hundred for a while. All I can say is that none of the above symptoms seem anything like as bad as those I have had for about three or four days.

* - Autocorrect inserted cats home.

Exactly, unless there's a medical reason not to, have the vaccine. The alternatives could be far, far, worse.

Pfizer 3 weeks ago. I felt last autumns flu jab far more.

I've had a few flu jabs, and never had any reaction, so I guess I was rather taken aback by the strength of my reaction to the coronavirus one.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

I had mine last saturday, slight shakes that night as I've had in the past with a couple of flu jabs but then after almost exactly 48 hours I developed quite severe abdominal pains which lasted for just over 18 hours, I'm quite happy for a repeat when I have the booster if it helps bring all this chaos to an end. Oddly enough my wife, who is/was high risk due to respiratory problems and allergies, had absolutely no reaction to hers whatsoever

I know several colleagues who have been designated as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable, and have been shielding at home.
They have each had letters stating they cannot go back to work even after they’ve had their second jab.

So how is having the vaccine going to get us out of this ??

Back on topic, I had a letter yesterday, inviting me to book my first dose.

A colleague reports that she had the ‘sore arm for a few days’ reaction too. This made the sudden compulsion to order a Windows Phone and an Xbox using the Microsoft Edge browser on her PC extremely uncomfortable

 

[Bald Rick]

I know several colleagues who have been designated as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable, and have been shielding at home.
Even they have had letters stating they cannot go back to work even after they’ve had their second jab.

So how is having the vaccine going to get us out of this ??

Presumably, because the vaccine doesn’t protect everyone, there is still a chance that they could fall ill. So they will need to wait until the adult population has had the jab, and thus transmission is as low as it is going to get. I’ll make the numbers up here as I don’t know them, but it could be the difference between 20% of them catching Covid and 0.2% of them catching it.

 

[Inversnecky]

I know several colleagues who have been designated as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable, and have been shielding at home.
Even they have had letters stating they cannot go back to work even after they’ve had their second jab.

So how is having the vaccine going to get us out of this ??

I'm no medical authority, but once you hit that critical threshold, say 85%-90% of the population being vaccinated, even with a vaccine having 70%-80% efficacy, the transmission % can become pretty much zero.

As an example, just look at what happened when people fell for the anti-vax theories and MMR uptake dropped below the level required for herd immunity - result: first measles deaths in a decade.

As you'll appreciate, this is all new territory, and who knows how things will develop in the coming months and years.

 

[MotCO]

I'm no medical authority, but once you hit that critical threshold, say 85%-90% of the population being vaccinated, even with a vaccine having 70%-80% efficacy, the transmission % can become pretty much zero.

As an example, just look at what happened when people fell for the anti-vax theories and MMR uptake dropped below the level required for herd immunity - result: first measles deaths in a decade.

As you'll appreciate, this is all new territory, and who knows how things will develop in the coming months and years.

I'm no scientist, but I tend to agree with you.

Three potential issues:
1) Will the effectiveness of the vaccine diminish over time?
2) Will new variants emerge which are not countered by the vaccines?
3) Will foreign tourists who are not vaccinated be allowed into the country which could reduce the percentage who are immune? I'm thinking of the football fans who may come for the Euro 2020 matches.

The other point is that people who have had Covid might also have some sort of immunity which might boost the percentage of the population which is immune, if only for a short time.

 

[Bald Rick]

I'm no scientist, but I tend to agree with you.

Three potential issues:
1) Will the effectiveness of the vaccine diminish over time?
2) Will new variants emerge which are not countered by the vaccines?
3) Will foreign tourists who are not vaccinated be allowed into the country which could reduce the percentage who are immune? I'm thinking of the football fans who may come for the Euro 2020 matches.

The other point is that people who have had Covid might also have some sort of immunity which might boost the percentage of the population which is immune, if only for a short time.

And another point...

...Will those who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable be more cautious - either voluntarily or with Government guidance? Ie stay at home except for essential reasons, wear masks, etc etc. That alone could have a significant effect on future hospitalisations (but not infection).

 

[MotCO]

And another point...

...Will those who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable be more cautious - either voluntarily or with Government guidance? Ie stay at home except for essential reasons, wear masks, etc etc. That alone could have a significant effect on future hospitalisations (but not infection).

I think mask-wearing is here to stay.

 

[Bantamzen]

I'm no scientist, but I tend to agree with you.

Three potential issues:
1) Will the effectiveness of the vaccine diminish over time?
2) Will new variants emerge which are not countered by the vaccines?
3) Will foreign tourists who are not vaccinated be allowed into the country which could reduce the percentage who are immune? I'm thinking of the football fans who may come for the Euro 2020 matches.

The other point is that people who have had Covid might also have some sort of immunity which might boost the percentage of the population which is immune, if only for a short time.

1) Nobody knows
2) Nobody knows
3) Why football fans in particular? Is there a reason why they might be more likely to have the virus than say a tourist?

And another point...

...Will those who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable be more cautious - either voluntarily or with Government guidance? Ie stay at home except for essential reasons, wear masks, etc etc. That alone could have a significant effect on future hospitalisations (but not infection).

Are there going to be significant numbers of such people? If not then the effect on the NHS isn't likely to be much greater, especially as such people may well already be under NHS care in one way or another.

All of this seems to me to be just attempts to justify lengthening restrictions where no other justifications exist.

I think mask-wearing is here to stay.

It really isn't, especially as after over a year there is still no evidence that they really make any kind of difference in public settings.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

I work for a company that has only finite patience for those with long-term conditions. We do jobs that have a high degree of physical effort, and if someone is incapable of carrying out key tasks, they are invariably shunted into the medical retirement siding.
Those who are clinically extremely vulnerable have been paid to be at home for almost a year now, apart from a few weeks back at work between lockdowns. The news that they are to continue shielding even after being fully vaccinated will doubtless test the patience of employers large and small, as they are incurring the cost of paying people to stay home AND the wages of temporary staff or overtime hourage to cover that person’s work. I sense resentment growing at my workplace, as more and more of us are getting vaccinated and yet some staff are going to have a second summer free of the obligation to go to work, whilst still being financially secure.
I suspect my employer will soon reach the point where ‘key worker’ status and financial considerations may push them to confront this situation. I foresee them asking CEV persons to consider coming back to work or be pushed into medical retirement...

 

[LAX54]

I know several colleagues who have been designated as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable, and have been shielding at home.
They have each had letters stating they cannot go back to work even after they’ve had their second jab.

So how is having the vaccine going to get us out of this ??

Back on topic, I had a letter yesterday, inviting me to book my first dose.

A colleague reports that she had the ‘sore arm for a few days’ reaction too. This made the sudden compulsion to order a Windows Phone and an Xbox using the Microsoft Edge browser on her PC extremely uncomfortable

I think shielding ends on March 31st, then back to work regardless.

 

[Bald Rick]

Are there going to be significant numbers of such people? If not then the effect on the NHS isn't likely to be much greater, especially as such people may well already be under NHS care in one way or another.

4 million. But being under care for, say, cancer treatment, or chronic kidney disease, and being in hospital for COVID place rather different demands on the NHS.

I think mask-wearing is here to stay.

I don’t. I think it will go in the summer. Possibly come back later in the year - and it’s certain that some of the more anxious people will wear a mask anyway (much like many people do in the far east).

 

[Bantamzen]

4 million

Just to clarify, you are saying 4 million people are classed as vulnerable and cannot have a vaccine? Do you have a source please?

 

[Bald Rick]

Just to clarify, you are saying 4 million people are classed as vulnerable and cannot have a vaccine? Do you have a source please?

No, I’m saying that 4 million people are classified as Clinically Extremely vulnerable (source https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n467); this means they are more likely to suffer from Covid if infected.

Most will be vaccinated, but because the effectiveness of the vaccine is not 100%, that means some will still catch it, and because they are more vulnerable they are more likely to end up in Hospital than those who are not CEV. A study released earlier this week shows that the vaccine (first dose) is less effective in those undergoing cancer treatment, for example. Source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56351084

What I am saying, is that the Government will take this into account when deciding what to do with restrictions, and particularly later in the year with social distancing / face coverings etc. They may ask this group to take extra precautions, although I’d expect many of them to do that anyway. Whether Governemnt asks the rest of the population to take some precautions on behalf of these 4 million people is of course a matter for them.