What Are the Side Effects of the New COVID-19 Vaccines?
What to expect from the new Vaccine for XBB.1.5
A new COVID-19 vaccine is now available. These are latest shots — from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Novavax. They have been reformulated to better target some of the more recently circulating coronavirus variants XBB.1.5. It is a new vaccine for what appears to be close to a new virus.
The revised vaccines are different from the previous COVID-19 bivalent boosters introduced this time last year. These targeted the omicron subvariants BA.4/BA.5 plus the original strain of the coronavirus. This year, the vaccine will target just one virus strain: XBB.1.5, which is the dominant variant and continues to circulate in the U.S., along with many of its close relatives like the BA.2.86 which has only a small number of cases.
Health officials are recommending that everyone 6 months and older roll up their sleeves for the added dose of protection against the illness that has taken more than 1.1 million American lives. People 12 and older can receive the Novavax vaccine also. The shots are especially important for older adults, who continue to be hospitalized for COVID-19 at rates that are much higher than younger groups. This group over age >65 has the largest mortality among unvaccinated individuals!
The COVID vaccine definitely should be taken by those at highest risk of complications from SAR0Cov-2 type viruses, That includes older people, people with weakened immune systems, very young children. These are the people that we are seeing have significant complications from COVID illnesses.
No surprises from common side effects
According to the Food and Drug Administration, the common side effects that can accompany the updated shots are in line with the previous versions.
Clinical tests show “If you had a sore arm before, if you had a little bit of pain at the injection site, maybe a little low-grade fever, you can expect that to happen again”.
- Moderna booster side effects: Pain at the injection site was the most commonly reported side effect among people vaccinated with Moderna’s vaccine, according to data reviewed by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory panel. About 70 percent of people reported it, followed by fatigue, muscle aches, headache, joint pain, chills, nausea, and fever.
- Pfizer booster side effects: Pain at the injection site was also the most commonly reported reaction with Pfizer’s vaccine, according to the company; up to 90 percent of people reported it. Other typical side effects included fatigue, headache, chills, muscle pain, joint pain and fever.
- Novavax booster side effects: The most common reactions reported in clinical trials testing the Novavax vaccine include headache, nausea or vomiting, muscle pain, joint pain, pain and tenderness at the injection site, fatigue and general discomfort.
Side Effects of the New COVID-19 Vaccines
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