By Saqib Majeed
We’re in the middle of winter, with surge upon surge in COVID-19 cases, and the pandemic is far from over.
Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration issued its first emergency use authorization (EUA) for a vaccine against COVID-19 in people aged 16 years and older. The FDA issued this authorization after reviewing the available efficacy and safety data on the new vaccine. Based on evidence from ongoing clinical trials, the FDA found that the known and potential benefits of the vaccine outweigh the known and potential risks.
The available data suggests that after two doses, the vaccine is 95 percent effective at preventing COVID-19. So far, research has also found that the vaccine has a good safety profile.
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is administered in two doses, 3 weeks apart. So far, the data collected from 37,586 participants who went third phase clinical trials suggest that the vaccine is very safe. You only feel a little pain at the site of inoculation. Apart from that you might experience a mild headache or fever or both which subside in a few hours.
Smaller numbers of participants reported chills, joint pain, or fever following vaccination.
Participants were more likely to report such symptoms following the second dose of the vaccine.
Among participants who received the vaccine and those who got the placebo alike, the reported rate of serious adverse events is less than 0.5 percent, with no significant differences between the two groups.
Four cases of Bell’s palsy have been reported in participants who received the vaccine, while none has been reported in those who got the placebo.
However, those four cases are consistent with the rate of Bell’s palsy in the general population. In other words, there’s no clear evidence that the Bell’s palsy was caused by the vaccine.
Bell’s palsy is a type of facial paralysis that results in a temporary inability to control the facial muscles on the affected side of the face. Symptoms can vary from mild to severe. They may include muscle twitching, weakness, or total loss of the ability to move one, and in rare cases, both sides of the face.
Severe allergic reactions to vaccines are very rare, but they can happen. The FDA recommends that people who have experienced a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, or to any of its ingredients, should not receive it.
How to manage side effects?
It is recommended that you get the vaccine when it’s easier to manage potential side effects such as fatigue or headache.
So, if you want to get vaccine get it at the end of the day instead in the morning. If you experience any side effects it’ll be easier to cope with them after work when you are home.
If you develop pain around the injection site, it may be treated with over-the-counter medication. Such medications may also help relieve fever, headache, muscle pain, or joint pain.
If you develop side effects that are bothersome or do not resolve, contact your healthcare provider. If you think you might be having a severe allergic reaction, call 911 or go to the emergency room.
It should be noted that vaccines can always cause some common side effects. It’s a normal phenomenon. There is nothing to worry about that. Pfizer – BioNTech vaccine is no exception when it comes to common side effects such as headaches, fever, pain at injection site etc. This, however, doesn’t mean that you should skip the second dose.
The benefits of the vaccine far outweigh its side effects.
If you are facing any health-related issues or need any assistance you can always contact Kandakacare. Our professional healthcare workers are fully qualified to assist you at home without risking your health.
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