Will side effects be worse after 2nd dose?
As more Texans become inoculated from COVID-19, questions continue to crop up about the vaccines.
In this week’s COVID Help Desk, we answer your questions about vaccine side effects and who is more likely to be affected, whether COVID antibodies pass from mothers to babies, and more.
Q: What kind of side effects can I expect after receiving my vaccine? Is it worse after the second dose than the first?
Side effects are possible for anyone who receives the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines, though they’re more common for younger people, said Dr. Megan Berman, associate professor of internal medicine with the Sealy Institute of Vaccine Sciences at University of Texas Medical Branch.
All three vaccines can cause pain, swelling and redness at the location of the shot. But “COVID arm” — a red, splotchy rash — is most common with Moderna.
With Moderna and Pfizer, there is a slight chance of swollen lymph nodes two to four days
after either dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But fear not: This a sign your immune system is fighting off unwanted antigens, said Dr. Jessica Leung, professor of diagnostic radiology and deputy chair of breast imaging at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Fever, fatigue, body aches, headaches or chills are common side effects, especially with Moderna and Pfizer. And there’s some evidence to suggest that the second dose will hit you harder than the first.
According to research the drug companies submitted to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, 7 percent of patients between the ages of 18 and 55 reported a fever after their first dose of Pfizer; the number climbed to 31 percent after the second dose. For Moderna, 1 percent of patients between the ages of 18 and 64 reported a fever after the first shot; that increase to 17 percent after the second.
While these reactions are normal signs that your body is building protection, the CDC recommends you call your doctor if a fever extends for a few days — or if redness and tenderness worsens 24 hours after the shot.
Johnson & Johnson has noticeably milder side effects, according to Berman. And if you’re symptom-free after your shot, don’t worry. It doesn’t mean it didn’t work, she added. Everyone reacts differently, and it doesn’t mean the immune system is sluggish.
Q: Do antibodies pass from mother to baby if she’s vaccinated while pregnant?
A: More than 130 women participated in a new study that proves a vaccinated mother can pass COVID-19 antibodies to her fetus through the placenta, as well as through breast milk after the baby is born.
Researchers already knew antibodies could pass from mother to baby after a natural COVID infection, but did not know if there would be the same result if the person was vaccinated, said Dr. Jacqueline Parchem, assistant professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at UTHealth.
Antibodies were present in samples of the mother’s blood, fetal blood in the umbilical cord and breast milk, Parchem said. In the study, 84 women were pregnant and 16 of the remaining 47 were lactating. Researchers followed them through immunization and measured how much antibody response they had at certain points.
“The main finding is that pregnant people had a similar level of antibody response to non-pregnant controls, so pregnant women have the ability to generate the same kind of immunity,” Parchem said.
Q: What are my vaccine options if I’m scared of needles?
A: An extreme fear of needles, clinically known as trypanophobia, is real, and it could make the COVID vaccine process harder than normal, said Dr. Eric Storch, professor and vice chair of psychology in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine.
But there are interventions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, that can help a person overcome their fears, Storch said.
“If it’s needles, you would be progressively exposed to needles or shots,” Storch said. “It starts with just being around a needle to having a needle sheathed on their arm to having a needle unsheathed on their arm.”
For those with a more mild fear of needles, Storch recommends setting a relaxing scene before rolling up your sleeve. Imagine yourself in a calming place and try a series of deep breaths.
“Putting yourself forward in time is an important strategy in dealing with this,” hes aid. “At 5 p.m., you’re getting the shot, and you’re not excited about it. But at 5:30 p.m., you will be vaccinated from COVID.”
Ask to be seated while the health care worker administers the shot and look somewhere else while listening to pleasant music, Storch recommends.
It’s worth trying to find a Johnson & Johnson vaccine appointment if you already know you will struggle with the needle, Storch said. However, most COVID-19 vaccine providers do not offer a choice.
For social media savvy folks, there are daily, sometimes hourly, posts on vaccine appointments on Facebook groups such as “Vaccinate Houston — Covid-19 Vaccine Updates” and the Chronicle’s “Houston COVID-19 Vaccine Updates” group on NextDoor. Sometimes, they specify which vaccine is available.
Speak with your primary health care provider about your vaccine options.
Q: Will you need a vaccine passport to travel internationally?
A: On Friday, the CDC issued new travel guidelines for domestic trips, announcing that people who are fully vaccinated can travel safely within the U.S. These travelers do not need COVID testing before or after travel unless their destination country requires it, nor do they need to self-quarantine.
However, the CDC recommends travelers continue to wear a mask over the nose and mouth, stay 6 feet from others, avoid crowds and wash hands for 20 seconds or longer or use hand sanitizer.
Those who have received either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second shot. For Johnson & Johnson, it is two weeks after the one shot, the CDC reported.
As for international travel, social media has been aflutter with rumors of people needing a
“World Health Organization Vaccination Passport” if they plan on traveling internationally in the near future. The newest rumor originated in a March 17 TikTok video that was shared 80,000 times before it was removed, according to Politifact by the Poynter Institute.
But the World Health Organization does not recommend any country “introduce requirements of proof of COVID-19 vaccination for international travel as a condition for departure or entry,” according to a paper published in February.
Citing “critical unknowns regarding the efficacy of vaccination in reducing transmission,” WHO said its position is also based on limited availability of vaccines. The organization also recommends people who are vaccinated should continue to comply with standing current restrictions.