We could be days away from the first COVID-19 vaccines arriving in the Carolinas. And when it’s time to get yours, you might feel a little under the weather after receiving the vaccine. But don’t worry, researchers say that’s totally normal and actually good. It means the vaccine is doing what it’s supposed to do.
So to the question, are we going to get the flu? No, you’re not going to get the flu. But are you going to feel crappy? Yes, you are. You’re going to get a low-grade fever, you’re going to get some muscle aches, that shoulder is going to be sore. But Tylenol or ibuprofen or Aleve are going to help mitigate those, and they tend to be relatively short-lived. It’s about that night of that second vaccine dose, you’ll wake up a bit tired and cruddy, but you’ll be able to go back to work the next day.
It’s almost similar to getting a colonoscopy. Sure, it’ll be uncomfortable and unpleasant, but the protection it provides will outweigh that.
If we have an expectation and understanding of what we’re in for, I think it can really make things more tolerable, but also we just have a better understanding.
There’s transparency, there’s candidness, you know that old adage when we’re giving our 11-year-old their shots at the pediatrician’s office, we really say, “This is only going to hurt a little bit.” Well, it’s probably only going to hurt a little bit for that annual flu vaccine.
The COVID vaccine is going to cause a few more side effects. The irony is that these side effects are actually a huge positive. That’s telling you your body is rearing up and ready to go if the coronavirus makes its way to you.
Out of the group that got the real vaccine, Pfizer says 3.8% felt severe fatigue and 2% a severe headache. And people in the trial reported something else right after they took the shot, a spike in fever. But the side-effects appear to be temporary and Governor Roy Cooper says he has confidence the vaccine is safe.
“When the time comes, I’ll be ready to roll up my sleeve,” Cooper said. #WakeUpCLT #COVID19 #Vaccine
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