The COVID Vaccination Thread (1 Viewer)

[John Dirk]

My wife and I received our first dose of the Pfizer vaccine this morning. It's been about 8 hours and, so far, just a very mild soreness in my arm and a slight headache (which may or may not be due to the vaccine).

We get our 2nd dose on Feb 22.

Feeling relieved....

Mark

The soreness should start to dissipate over the next day or two. Mine is nearly as bad the 2nd time around.

 

[DFurr]

Got my appointment for the second Moderna shot scheduled for
Feb. 11. I'm relieved!!!++

 

[Mark Booth]

One day post Pfizer vaccine.... It feels like someone slugged me in the arm. My wife has the same complaint. Very tolerable but definitely a bit more discomfort than our yearly flu shot.

I am also feeling ever so slightly "blah". No fever or any other overt symptoms, just a mild feeling that my body is fighting something.

Our daughter (the medical lab scientist) reports that about 85% of her coworkers have had a notably more significant reaction to the 2nd shot. Their chief complaint has been body aches. Most of them scheduled a day off after the 2nd shot, some that didn't ended up calling in sick. They are getting the Moderna vaccine.

Mark

 

[John Dirk]

It's now been 24 hours since my #2 shot of Moderna and I feel perfectly fine other than the fact that I am left-handed now and can speak fluent Dutch.

That's just my warped sense of humor. Other than tiredness and soreness in my arm I feel great.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

The attitude that the covid vaccines were developed too quick reminds me of the moon-landing deniers. “They made it on the first try” they say. Not so. We were practicing and refining getting to the moon with the first non-manned launch of the Redstone (I think that’s the one that took Shepherd on his suborbital flight) missile. Every single launch was development, testing and practice. Science built on what it already knew about corona viruses to develop the vaccine.

This photo was taken in the late 1920s.

 

[BobO'Link]

Education. The week I got my first shot the governor put all Education workers (teachers and support) into the 1a group. We support 1 HS, 2 JR HS, 5 Elementary, 1 Kindergarten, and 1 pre-K - around 9000 students - in a 1-1 environment.

And... that's not *quite* right. Education was moved into the 1B group (IIRC it was in the 1C group originally) and the start date for the 1B group was pushed up roughly a week. I got my first shot the first week of eligibility. My second is Thursday afternoon.

 

[Mark Booth]

The attitude that the covid vaccines were developed to0 quick reminds me of the moon-landing deniers. “They made it on the first try” they say. Not so. We were practicing and refining getting to the moon with the first non-manned launch of the Redstone (I think that’s the one that took Shepherd on his suborbital flight) missle. Every single launch was development, testing and practice. Science built on what it already knew about corona viruses to develop the vaccine.

The science behind the COVID-19 vaccines dates back decades. The reason that Pfizer and Moderna were able to bring these solutions to market quickly is mostly a result of the research by Katalin Karikó and her collaborator, Drew Weissman. Their research on MessengerRNA dates back to the 1990s. Interesting article:

The story of mRNA: How a once-dismissed idea became a leading technology in the Covid vaccine race

The story of mRNA began is a tale of personal perseverance, eureka moments in the lab, soaring expectations — and an unprecedented flow of cash in biotech.

www.statnews.com

So, this was not some kind of "quick fix" vaccine. It was actually decades in development when you consider Karikó's and Weissman's pioneering work.

Mark

 

[BobO'Link]

I received my 2nd dose about 2 hours ago. I felt the needle this time, similar to any other injection I've ever received. It stung lightly for ~5 minutes after the injection. At this point, no other issues and, like with the first, no arm soreness yet.

Oh... almost forgot! As soon as I got home I walked into the living room, told my wife "Well... got the 2nd shot and no... BRAINS!!! BRAINS!!!" She wasn't amused...

 

[Johnny Angell]

I received my 2nd dose about 2 hours ago. I felt the needle this time, similar to any other injection I've ever received. It stung lightly for ~5 minutes after the injection. At this point, no other issues and, like with the first, no arm soreness yet.

Oh... almost forgot! As soon as I got home I walked into the living room, told my wife "Well... got the 2nd shot and no... BRAINS!!! BRAINS!!!" She wasn't amused...

I’m gonna steal that.

 

[BobO'Link]

So... today my arm is sore, as expected, and I *think* just a bit more sore than with the first shot. I'm a bit tired but that's because my arm began getting sore last night before I went to bed and I tend to sleep on the side which got the shot. That meant I had trouble getting to sleep and would wake myself in the night when I rolled over on that arm. Other than that I have no other side effects.

I spoke with a few of the teachers who also received their second shot yesterday. They all report the same experience - it hurt this time and stung for a few minutes. Today they have sore arms. Little else.

BUT - my boss, who has several medical issues, did get sick with a low grade fever and body aches within a couple of hours of receiving his second shot early Wednesday afternoon. Our department secretary was out for a day after hers with low grade fever and body aches. Both are back at work today.

We all received the Pfizer vaccine.

 

[Malcolm R]

Are you guys getting the second shot in the same arm as the first, or the other arm?

I wonder if that would contribute to extra soreness, if it's in the same arm just a couple weeks apart?

 

[Carlo_M]

That's a good point to bring up when it's finally my turn (stupid 40s, not old enough to be top tier, not young enough to feel that the odds are in your favor to get through this relatively unscathed lol). I am a side sleeper with the left shoulder primarily against the bed, so if I'm given a choice (or if I remember to) I'll ask for the right shoulder.

 

[BobO'Link]

My second was in the same arm (left because I'm right handed) - but about an inch higher on the arm. The others I spoke with said the same thing - the first was lower on the arm by an inch or so than the second. That made me wonder if location played a part as well.

 

[Carlo_M]

I'm no expert, and I don't play one on TV. But I'd be extremely surprised if shot placement were critical in any way.

EDIT: it's not listed in the CDC guidelines for shot administration

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/admin/downloads/IM-Injection-adult.pdf

The only guidance for location it gives is at the bottom, where it says if giving more than one vaccine (presumably at the same time) to separate by one inch.

And while that's the generic vaccine injection instructions, it is the one linked to from the COVID vaccine page here: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/hcp/faq.html
scroll down and expand the section for "what is the proper route and site for vaccine administration".

 

[BobO'Link]

Sounds like they're using the "if giving more than one vaccine, separate by one inch." instructions for the second injection even if it's weeks later. The first was given in the "prime" location mentioned in that pdf.

Like you, I'm no doctor (but my sister married one - I may ask him if I think of it the next time I see them), and think the location coupled with the earlier shot could be why the second hurt a bit more.

 

[Carlo_M]

Definitely ask, because I'd be hugely surprised if that were the case. The reason those are in the instructions is because many vaccines can be given simultaneously (like when you're traveling and need a bunch of them). Hence the guidance. But to have the same vaccine, just a second dose, logically it wouldn't seem to matter where on the site it's injected as long as it's within the specified area.

With 4-6 weeks between vaccines, most wouldn't even remember where the original shot was (many people will also have a different person injecting the shot unless, especially those who go to large vaccination sites or are part of large hospital programs with a very big phlebotomy operation like mine is).

 

[BobO'Link]

Starting to feel a bit "puny" but I really don't know if it's a reaction to the shot or just being so tired from lack of sleep. Have a bit of a headache - again, could be from lack of sleep or lack of caffeine (I've only had 2 cups today - normally 3 or 4 by now but that's rarely an issue), so... I *have* taken some aspirin (works better for me than anything else) for the arm pain and headache.

**EDIT**
"Puny" feeling's gone. Don't know if it was the aspirin kicking in or that 3rd cup of coffee... Don't care as I feel better.

 

[jayembee]

I’m gonna steal that.

If after I get my first shot, I try that on my wife, she'll probably respond with, "Well, you won't find any here. I'm just a girl, remember?"

(It sounds bad, but it's a running joke between us. She tells people that if she ever thought I was being serious about her "just having a girl brain", she'd kill me.)

 

[jayembee]

Are you guys getting the second shot in the same arm as the first, or the other arm?

I wonder if that would contribute to extra soreness, if it's in the same arm just a couple weeks apart?

Whenever I get shot #2 (my first isn't until 3/17) it'll be in the same arm. I've had severe lymphedema in my right arm, so no shots, draws, or cuffs on the right side unless they absolutely can't be done on the left side.

That's all OK with me. While I occasionally switch over to the left side, I tend to sleep mostly on my right side.

 

[jayembee]

**EDIT**
"Puny" feeling's gone. Don't know if it was the aspirin kicking in or that 3rd cup of coffee... Don't care as I feel better.

Or both. Caffeine tends to amplify the effectiveness of aspirin (or acetameniphen). At least, it does in me.