An increasing number of people are being vaccinated against COVID19 as the vaccine program is being rolled out at a rapid speed in the US. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that more than 51 million people in the US have been vaccinated with full two doses of the vaccine for COVID19. The CDC data has revealed that around 93 million people have been given the first dose of the vaccine. However, this means that more people are dealing with side effects that are linked to COVID19 vaccines. Most of these side effects are mild and fade away with time but health experts are worried about more serious adverse reactions. An adverse reaction of COVID19 vaccines is swelling that can take place in three particular areas of the body such as lips, eyes, and tongue. Experts have said that some COVID19 vaccine side effects make people feel a little low.
However, these side effects can be dealt with by resting up, staying hydrated, and using mild over-the-counter painkillers. An allergic reaction can also be seen in few small numbers of cases, said the experts. Now experts from the Mayo Clinic have warned people against some of the adverse side effects. They have said that people should be alert if they notice continuous shortness of breath or panting, redness, or swelling in parts of the body other than the limb where the shot has been given.
Experts have said that if people experience swelling on their lips, eyes, or tongue, they should immediately contact their health care provider. The CDC officials have said that it can be an adverse reaction to the vaccine. They have said that in severe cases treatment with epinephrine or hospitalization might be needed. The CDC has said that people should be monitored for 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine to determine if patients have a quick reaction to the vaccine.
The agency has said that if people notice such a reaction, they should get in touch with their doctor and refrain from getting the second dose of the vaccine. If this reaction has surfaced after getting the mRNA vaccines like Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna, people should not receive either of these vaccines, said the agency. A report from the CDC has shown that an instant reaction takes place within four hours of getting the shot. It includes symptoms such as hives, swelling, and panting, which is known as respiratory distress as well.
Experts have said that after people with such reactions contact their health care provider, they might be referred to allergies and immunology specialists for more care and advice. The CDC has reported that some people who have been vaccinated against COVID19 have been found to have red, itchy swollen, or painful rashes at the injection site. Experts have informed that the rash, which has been termed as COVID arm, can surface more than a week after the vaccination. As per the reports, most of the time, the COVID arm has been seen in people who have been vaccinated with the COVID19 vaccine that is developed by Moderna, therefore many people call it the Moderna arm.
Esther Freeman, the director at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston has said that people who are vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine have been having such skin reactions at least 8 days after the vaccination, which is very surprising. She has said that few people who have been vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine as well have developed these delayed rashes. However, the CDC officials have said that these rashes are not severe allergic reactions like the swelling of eyes, lips, and tongue. Therefore, people with these rashes should receive the second dose of the vaccine. Health experts have said that most of the people who have been vaccinated with mRNA vaccines might be dealing with these side effects. They have said that these adverse reactions indicate that the body is responding to the vaccine.
These side effects show that the immune system is learning to recognize the pathogen and fight it next it tries to infect the body. As per the experts, people might suffer some usual side effects that indicate that the body is building up immunity against the virus. These side effects might impact people’s ability to do daily tasks; however, they should fade away in a few days. On the other hand, some people do not have any side effects after the vaccination. Some of the most commonly seen side effects of COVID19 vaccines are pain and rashes at the injection site, chills, fever, headache, muscle ache, tiredness, nausea, and fatigue.