While COVID vaccine side effects may make you feel a little below par, most can be dealt with by simply resting up, staying hydrated, and using mild over-the-counter pain relievers. However, in a very small number of cases, an allergic reaction to the vaccine may take place. The Mayo Clinic’s advice warns patients to be on alert for a “continuous shortness of breath or wheezing,” “redness, swelling or itchiness in areas of the body other than the limb in which the vaccine was given,” and particularly, “swelling of the lips, eyes or tongue.” In severe cases, where treatment with epinephrine or hospitalization is required, this is known as anaphylaxis. “You’ll likely be monitored for 15 minutes after getting a COVID-19 vaccine to see if you have an immediate reaction,” warns the CDC. And for more rare, but less alarming reactions to the vaccine, check out The Strange New COVID Vaccine Side Effect That’s Confusing Even Doctors. If you experience this kind of severe allergic reaction, the CDC says that you should contact your doctor and not get a second shot of that vaccine. “If the reaction was after an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), you should not get a second shot of either of these vaccines,” the agency says. “An immediate allergic reaction happens within 4 hours of getting vaccinated and may include symptoms such as hives, swelling, and wheezing (respiratory distress),” the CDC notes. “Your doctor may refer you to a specialist in allergies and immunology to provide more care or advice.” And for more on the latest news about the vaccine, check out This One Side Effect Signals a “Very Robust” Vaccine Response, Doctor Says.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Some people who’ve gotten vaccinated against COVID have developed a red, itchy, swollen, or painful rash at their injection site, the CDC says. The rash, which has been dubbed “COVID arm,” can crop up more than a week after you get vaccinated, the agency explains. Most reports of “COVID arm” have been among those who got the Moderna vaccine, which is why some call it “Moderna arm.” Esther Freeman, MD, a director at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, recently told Dermatology Times, “What’s been surprising is that with Moderna, people are seeing skin reactions on the vaccinated arm appear not within hours or a day of injection, but instead 8 days later.” She added that a handful of people who were given the Pfizer vaccine also developed this delayed rash. The CDC warns that most of us can expect a range of mild side effects in response to the COVID vaccine, as with most vaccines. These side effects are essentially your body responding to what it perceives to be an infection, fighting it off and learning to recognize it the next time you encounter it. “You may have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection,” the CDC explains. “These side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. Some people have no side effects.” Among those who do react to the vaccine, the most commonly reported side effects are pain and redness at the injection site, with tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea presenting as well. And for the side effect cropping up most in Pfizer patients, check out The One Side Effect That’s Much More Common With Pfizer, Data Shows.
