The U.S. has now approved Covid-19 vaccine booster shots for all adults. Many are now wondering what side effects to expect after your third shot (or second shot if you were originally vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson). And thanks to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), we now have some idea.
VAERS is run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and allows people to self-report side effects of vaccines. As Insider points out, a COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Dose Safety report published by the CDC COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force on November 19, 2021 shows that already 11,904 people have reported side effects from Pfizer, Moderna, or J & J’s Janssen boosters to VAERS. These were the most-reported side effects (in order):
- Headache
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Pain
- Chills
During the time frame of the 11,904 side-effect reports to VAERS, over 26 million booster doses were given. Of those reporting, 46% were 65 years of age or older, and 67% were female, so it’s possible the most-reported side effects could change as more Americans get their booster, and reports come in from more males and those in younger age groups.
Still, as Insider notes, most people have reported that the side effects they experienced after their booster were less severe than any they experienced after their second dose of the original vaccine.
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