Here’s what to expect after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine

An increasing number of North Texans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since the vaccines were first approved, and more residents are becoming eligible for their second doses with each passing week.

The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were approved and ready for the public with unprecedented speed, and doubts remain about the short and long-term effects of inoculation.

Here’s what people can expect after receiving the first and second doses of vaccines.

Will there be any side effects?

Like most vaccines, injections from Pfizer and Moderna can cause mild side effects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The most common side effects are pain, swelling and redness in the arm where the dose was administered. People may also experience chills, fatigue and headaches.

In clinical trials of both vaccines, mild to moderate side effects within one week of vaccination were common, says the CDC. Most side effects, however, usually occur within a day or two and disappear within a few days.

The CDC says that side effects throughout the body, which may be similar to flu symptoms, were more common after the second dose.

To reduce pain in the arm where the vaccine was administered, the CDC recommends applying a wet, cold towel to the area and using and exercising the arm. Drinking plenty of fluids and wearing light clothing can reduce flu symptoms.

If arm pain increases after 24 hours, people should call their health care professionals, says the CDC.

What about serious side effects?

The Food and Drug Administration says there is a “remote” chance of serious side effects with the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.

Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction include difficulty breathing, swelling of the face and throat, tachycardia, rashes, dizziness and weakness, according to the FDA.

A serious allergic reaction usually occurs within a few minutes to an hour after vaccination (which is why healthcare professionals monitor patients for a few minutes after receiving vaccines).

Health experts say the serious side effects of the vaccine are rare.

Of more than 4 million first doses of the Modern injection given between December 21 and January 10, only 1,266 serious side effects have been reported, or about 0.03% of all people who received the first dose during that period, from according to the CDC.

Of the more than 1.8 million first doses of the Pfizer injection given between December 14 and 23, only 4,393 serious side effects have been reported, or about 0.2% of all people who received the first dose during that period, according to the CDC.

The CDC recommends that people call their healthcare professionals if they experience any symptoms of a severe allergic reaction or if the symptoms do not go away on their own after a few days.

Do people have any protection after the first shot?

People will have some protection after the first shot. Preliminary data showed that the Modern injection was 80.2% effective after one dose, while the Pfizer vaccine was 52.4% effective after the first dose.

However, patients were followed for only a short period of time, so long-term immunity after a dose is not known.

When will I be fully protected against COVID-19?

The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are about 95% effective, say health experts.

But immunity does not happen immediately. Vaccines work by teaching the immune system how to respond to a virus, and it takes time for the body to learn the response.

People need to receive two doses of each vaccine a few weeks apart to increase immunity. For the Moderna vaccine, the second dose is administered 28 days after the first. The second dose of the Pfizer vaccine comes 21 days after the first.

It is important to get the second dose as close to the correct time as possible, but people can still be protected if they receive the second dose up to six weeks later with the two vaccines, says the CDC.

Health experts say that the time it takes a person to build full immunity after the second injection varies, but it usually happens up to two weeks after vaccination.

Can I still receive COVID-19 if I am fully vaccinated?

It is possible for someone to test positive for the virus even if they are fully vaccinated, health experts say.

No vaccine is perfectly effective. Since the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are only 95% effective, it is possible that some people will be fully vaccinated and still be infected.

As more people get vaccinated, it will become more unlikely, health experts say.

It is also possible for someone to become infected with the virus before receiving the first or second dose and the test is positive after vaccination.

Can I spread COVID-19 if I am fully vaccinated?

Of course, COVID-19 vaccines help protect patients from serious illness, health experts say. But the researchers are still collecting data on whether someone can spread the virus after being fully vaccinated.

Initial testing of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines focused on how many people developed the symptoms of the virus, but not how the vaccine protects people with asymptomatic infection.

This means that it is possible for a vaccinated person to be able to find the virus and have enough in their body to spread it to others without developing their own symptoms, health experts say.

How often will I have to get the COVID-19 vaccine?

It is not known how long immunity lasts after someone is fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.

It may end up being an annual vaccine, like the flu vaccine, or it may require a booster dose every few years. More research is needed to find out for sure, health experts say.

Do I still have to wear a mask and social distance after being fully vaccinated?

Health experts say vaccinated individuals should continue to act as if they are not fully immune.

Since little is known about whether vaccinated people can spread the virus to others and why the vaccine is not 100% effective, it is important to continue to follow public health guidelines, such as social detachment and wearing a mask, health experts say. .

It will also probably take some time before a sufficient population is vaccinated to achieve collective immunity, a term that means that enough people have immunity to significantly decrease the likelihood of infection in a community.

The CDC said that it is not yet known how many people need to be vaccinated to obtain collective immunity, as the rate varies according to the disease.

As long as a large part of the population is not vaccinated, it is important that people continue to take steps to protect themselves and others from the virus, health experts say.