I’m excited to share that I am one of the 9.5 million Americans who are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. I received my 2nd dose of the Moderna vaccine about 48 hours ago. As a healthcare provider, I was eligible to be vaccinated in Phase 1a. I received my first dose in early January, and then my second dose about 30 days later. I’m thrilled to protect our Vitable Health members, and people in our community from COVID-19 through my vaccination.
So What Did It Feel Like and What Can You Expect When You Receive Your COVID Vaccine?
It's no secret, getting your COVID vaccine can be a little unpleasant, even more so than the other vaccines we regularly receive like the flu or tetanus shots. The COVID vaccine might make you feel sick for a day or two even though the vaccine contains no whole virus that could actually infect, or give you COVID-19. The vaccines are designed to stimulate a strong immune system response that is exactly what your body does naturally when you do get sick.
Having an immune system response to the vaccine means you may experience symptoms like headache, body aches, chills, or a fever along with a sore arm near the injection site. These are completely normal and expected responses to the vaccine and mean your body is responding and making necessary antibodies to protect you against COVID-19.
After My First Vaccine
My arm was quite sore for about 72 hours. I also experienced:
- A low-grade fever, and
- Fatigue for about 24-36 hours after the initial dose
After My Second Vaccine
My arm was a little less sore, but I experienced a few more symptoms. Starting about 6 hours after the vaccine I developed a headache. About 12 hours after my second dose, I developed body aches and fatigue, and a fever that went up to 100.8. The day after receiving the vaccine, I still felt:
- Fatigue,
- Body aches, and
- Chills
My symptoms were significantly improved with a dose of over the counter ibuprofen.
What Should You Do When You Get Your COVID Vaccine?
- Let your employer know when you will be receiving the vaccine. Depending on your symptoms and how you feel, you may need to take a day off of work. This may be more true after your second vaccine, as most people report more symptoms after their second vaccination.
- Consider getting your vaccine in your dominant arm. While it may seem counterintuitive, using your arm can decrease injection site soreness. Since you naturally move and use your dominant arm more often, this can lead to less overall soreness. This is what I believe caused the difference in soreness between my first and second vaccine. My first vaccine was in my non-dominant arm and was sorer for longer than my second vaccine in my dominant arm.
- Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen according to the package directions for your symptoms. While it’s ok to take these medications after you receive your vaccine, don’t take them before your injection. Taking these medications before your vaccination could decrease your immune response and make your vaccine less effective.
More information on the COVID Vaccine in Philadelphia: How Can I Get A COVID Vaccine In Philadelphia?
After you get your vaccine, it takes about 2 weeks to develop full immunity. If you received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, it’s very important that you return to your vaccination site to receive the 2nd dose on schedule. You will not have full protection unless you receive both doses.
While COVID vaccines are very effective at keeping you from developing a serious illness, their impact on transmission is not yet fully understood. It’s important that you continue to wear a mask, avoid gatherings, and social distance to avoid spreading COVID to others.
Feeling under the weather is inconvenient and never fun, but the reward is more than worth it. Every vaccinated individual is contributing to the end of this pandemic. Deciding to get vaccinated is a decision to protect yourself, your family, and your community from a deadly pandemic. That’s something we should all be willing to get behind.
