8 Flu Shot Side Effects

Definitely don’t mean to sound like your mom here, but…did you get your flu shot last year? Follow-up question: Are you planning to get yours this year?

Just asking because, you know, the flu can be deadly. During the 2019 to 2020 season, there were an estimated 39,000,000 to 56,000,000 reported flu illnesses (with 24,000 to 62,000 deaths) in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which lasted from October to April. Additionally, the CDC reported that the previous season included an estimated 35.5 million illnesses and 34,200 deaths. Just as a baseline, the flu can cause 12,000 deaths per year during a mild season, and anything over 56,000 deaths per year is considered a more severe bout, per the CDC.

But even though we’re dealing with the impending flu season on top of the seemingly never-ending coronavirus pandemic, experts say there’s a silver lining: wearing a mask and social distancing measures may help to minimize the spread of the flu this season, too. Even so, getting your flu shot will still be as important as ever.

Hesitant to get jabbed by a needle? We get it: The flu shot is still, well, a shot, and that’s a turn off to some. It can be kind of a crapshoot, too. Meaning: The flu shot is not 100 percent effective…but that doesn’t mean you should skip it.

This past year, though, the flu shot was *a bit* better.

The influenza vaccine is estimated to have been 39 percent effective during the 2019 to 2020 season, according to the CDC. To put that into a broader context, the flu shot generally provides about a 65 percent protection rate against contracting the flu, according to Amesh Adalja, MD, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

So while even that 39 percent figure might sound low to you, it’s actually a decent number, and it does not mean you should skip your yearly shot (which you should get by the end of October, suggests the CDC). Flu season typically starts in October, peaks in December, and can stick around until May, so you want to be covered for all of it.

“Just because the vaccine isn’t 100 percent [effective] doesn’t mean it’s worthless,” says Dr. Adalja. “And even if you do get the flu, [if you’re vaccinated] you are much less likely to have a severe case requiring hospitalization, less likely to have major destruction to your life, and less likely to spread it.”

Plus, there’s hope that the 2020 flu shot will outdo its predecessors.

Since there are different flu viruses out there (and they’re constantly changing), the vaccine is reviewed and changed from year to year. The World Health Organization (WHO) has already selected what components should be a part of the 2020 to 2021 vaccine to best protect against next season’s soon-to-be circulating viruses, too. But again, there’s no way yet to accurately predict how bad this coming year’s flu will be as the virus is always changing.

FYI: The flu shot can’t actually give you the flu.

Another thing to note? Talk of the flu shot’s many side effects is greatly exaggerated. The flu shot can’t actually give you the flu, and while there are some possible side effects, Dr. Adalja says most are rare.

If you’re particularly wary of needles, you may prefer the nasal influenza spray (Flumist) over an injection, says Soma Mandal, MD, a board-certified internist at Summit Medical Group in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. Potential nasal spray side effects include runny nose, wheezing, headache, vomiting, muscle aches, fever, sore throat, and cough.

“Not everyone should get the nasal flu spray due to factors like age and underlying health conditions, though, so talk to your doctor to determine if it’s the best option for you,” she says.

The flu shot is still worth it despite potential side effects.

Here are the flu shot side effects to be aware of this season, from common soreness and redness to rare effects like Guillain-Barre syndrome. After you’ve read through them, roll up your sleeve because flu season is coming. And guess what? The vaccine is still your best stay-healthy defense.

1. Shoulder soreness

If you receive the flu shot as an intramuscular injection (a.k.a. in your arm, typically), you have a 10 to 64 percent chance of experiencing some muscle soreness in your upper arm, according to the CDC.

That’s because the needle is injected directly into the muscle, causing microscopic damage to the cells, and is designed to cause an inflammatory immune system response. You can take an OTC pain reliever while you wait for the soreness to fade, but if the pain is very noticeable or decreasing your mobility, Dr. Adalja recommends checking with your doctor.

2. Redness or swelling at the injection site

Anytime you pierce the skin and put something into the body it can cause a topical reaction, says Dr. Adalja. This is just a sign that your immune system is activating.

But this redness and swelling where you get your shot is a common side effect that only typically lasts a few days. It’ll go away on its own, but if it’s really bugging you, you can take ibuprofen (Advil) or acetominophen (Tylenol).

3. Body aches

Any vaccine can cause body aches because of the way in which they activate the immune system, says Dr. Adalja.

If you’re feeling sore in places other than your arm, it’s usually nothing to worry about, though Dr. Adalja notes that the flu shot does take two weeks to become fully effective—so your body aches could be a sign of the actual flu, since viral strains are probably circulating around the time you get the vaccine.

4. Itching at the injection site or a full-body rash

This would signal an allergic reaction, but “it’s very rare to have an allergic reaction to the flu shot,” Dr. Adalja notes. “There are lots of myths about egg allergies and the vaccine,” he explains—because most flu shots and nasal sprays are manufactured using technology that involves small amounts of egg proteins, per the CDC.

“If you can eat scrambled eggs, you’re not going to have a problem with the flu shot,” Dr. Adalja says. If you have a confirmed egg allergy, you can likely still get the shot, the CDC says.

The caveat: If you experience severe itching at injection site, a rash all over your body, or signs of anaphylactic shock, seek immediate medical attention. And if you’ve had an allergic reaction to the flu shot in the past, you are among those few groups of people who the CDC recommends skip the flu shot.

5. Fever

You probably won’t get a fever because of the vaccine, but if you do, it should be low-grade (i.e. less than 101 degrees). If it’s higher than that, don’t blame your flu shot—you probably have a totally unrelated illness. “Remember that you’re getting the vaccine at the height of respiratory virus season,” says Dr. Adalja. “So you may have been incubating another virus [without knowing it].”

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And once again (for the people in the back!): The flu shot cannot give you the flu. While some flu vaccines contain virus strains, they’re not live strains, so they can’t get you sick. Meanwhile some flu shots don’t contain the virus at all (they only contain a specific protein from the influenza virus), per the CDC.

6. Dizziness or fainting

This is less a side effect of the vaccine itself and more a side effect of a needle phobia, says Dr. Adalja. If you think you might have a stress reaction or faint, give your health care provider a heads up so they can make sure you stay seated after the shot to prevent injury.

7. Guillain-Barre syndrome

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an auto-immune disorder that’s triggered by a wide variety of things, from vaccines to viral infections.

GBS causes damage to the nervous system, resulting in symptoms like muscle weakness, numbness, difficulty walking or an odd gait, and even paralysis, says Dr. Adalja. While 70 percent of people fully recover from the disorder, the recovery period can range from weeks to even years, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

But he also says the connection between GBS and the flu vaccine has been overhyped: “People should remember that influenza itself is much more likely to cause GBS than the vaccine.”

And since no more than one or two cases per million people vaccinated will have this side effect, it’s better to take your (super small) chances with GBS than with one of the many common, severe complications that often come with the flu itself.

8. Severe allergic reaction

Any medication or vaccination has the potential for adverse effects including severe life-threatening reactions, says Dr. Mandal. Severe allergic reactions typically occur within a few hours of receiving the vaccine. These include hives, wheezing, shortness of breath, fast heart rate and dizziness.

“It is important to seek immediate medical attention if you develop any of these symptoms,” she says. It’s definitely scary, but know that this side effect is super rare.

The bottom line: For most everyone, the flu shot is safe and only causes mild symptoms that are pretty much just annoying. The benefits of not getting the flu (and not spreading it to others who may be more vulnerable to the illness) far outweigh the risks of getting the shot.

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Common Side Effects of the Influenza Vaccine

The influenza vaccine is the best protection against seasonal flu, which is why millions of people get the flu shot each year. While very few serious side effects have been reported, people have been known to experience mild side effects to the flu shot or nasal spray flu vaccine (FluMist).

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Common Side Effects

The annual influenza vaccine offers safe and effective protection against the seasonal flu. The side effects are typically mild and due to an immune response that effectively boosts your immunity to the virus.

Side effects common to both the flu shot and FluMist nasal spray include:

There are also side effects specific to the flu shot and FluMist nasal spray. For example, cough can occur after the administration of FluMist.

Flu Shot Side Effects

Flu shots involve inactivated viruses that have been killed and are not infectious. Side effects can include:

• Pain at the injection site
• Redness and swelling at the injection site

FluMist Side Effects

The FluMist nasal spray is a live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) made with live viruses that have been weakened and are unable to cause influenza illness. The attenuated viruses can only multiply at cooler temperatures, like those in the nose, and cannot survive at body temperature.

Side effects can include:

Despite a common myth that the flu vaccine can give you the flu, neither the flu shot nor the flu nasal spray will infect you with influenza. 

Rare Side Effects

Although rare, serious allergic reactions including anaphylaxis may occur following vaccination. Signs of anaphylaxis include:

Anaphylaxis is considered a medical emergency and, if left untreated, can lead to unconsciousness, shock, coma, heart or respiratory failure, and death.

Anaphylaxis typically occurs within five to 30 minutes of coming into contact with an allergy-causing substance (allergen), although some cases can take more than an hour.

A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found the rate of anaphylaxis after all vaccines is 1.31 per one million doses.

Anyone who has experienced a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction to a flu vaccine in the past should not receive one in the future. Of note, people who have had a mild allergic reaction (such as hives the next day) can and should continue to receive the annual flu vaccine.

Egg Allergies

For many years, flu shots were avoided by people with egg allergies because the vaccine was initially grown in chicken eggs, posing a potential risk for a reaction. 

New recombinant flu vaccines—such as Flublok quadrivalent (for adults 18 and older) and Flucelvax quadrivalent (for people 4 years and older)—are manufactured without eggs, making them safe for people with egg allergies.

While you should tell your doctor if you have an egg allergy before getting the flu shot, know that this should not prevent you from getting the vaccination.

The risk of an allergic response to any flu vaccine is extremely low—including those that are egg-based. As such, the CDC recommends the vaccine even for people who have a history of egg allergies or have experienced mild hives following vaccination.

Those with a history of severe allergic reactions to eggs should get the flu shot from their doctor, who can spot signs of a reaction and manage the symptoms quickly.

Flu Shot and Chronic Conditions

Although people with chronic health conditions are at a greater risk of complications from the flu, they are at no greater risk for side effects from a flu shot. Injectable flu vaccines have an established safety record in this vulnerable population of people.

However, the FluMist nasal spray vaccine is not recommended for people with certain chronic health conditions due to potential complications from the weakened form of the live influenza virus it contains.

Do Vaccines Cause Autism?

Rumors have long circulated suggesting that the flu vaccine may cause autism. It has been proposed preservatives such as thimerosal are responsible for this effect.

Thimerosal, an ethyl mercury-based preservative, was once considered a possible trigger for autism. Research has shown that this is not the case. According to the CDC, thimerosal has a long history of safety with no evidence of harm caused by the low doses used in vaccines.

If you are concerned about preservatives in the flu vaccine, talk to your doctor about preservative-free options. Most single-dose vials and prefilled syringes do not contain a preservative because the products are used immediately and not shared. The same applies to the FluMist nasal vaccine, which is also preservative-free.

Seasonal Flu Shot | CDC

What are the side effects that could occur?

Common side effects from a flu shot include soreness, redness, and/or swelling where the shot was given, headache (low grade), fever, nausea, muscle aches, and fatigue. The flu shot, like other injections, can occasionally cause fainting.

Can severe problems occur?

Life-threatening allergic reactions to flu shots are very rare. Signs of serious allergic reaction can include breathing problems, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, a fast heartbeat, or dizziness. If they do occur, it is usually within a few minutes to a few hours after receiving the shot. These reactions can occur among persons who are allergic to something that is in the vaccine, such as egg protein or other ingredients. While severe reactions are uncommon, you should let your doctor, nurse, clinic, or pharmacist know if you have a history of allergy or severe reaction to influenza vaccine or any part of flu vaccine.

There is a small possibility that flu vaccine could be associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome, generally no more than 1 or 2 cases per million people vaccinated. This is much lower than the risk of severe complications from flu, which can be prevented by flu vaccine.

What should I do if I have had a serious reaction to seasonal flu vaccine?

Call a doctor or get to a doctor right away.

Tell your doctor what happened, the date and time it happened, and when you got the flu shot.

Ask your doctor, nurse, or health department to file a Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting Systemexternal icon (VAERS) form, or call VAERS at 1-800-822-7967. Reports are welcome from all concerned individuals: patients, parents, health care providers, pharmacists and vaccine manufacturers.

Why do some people not feel well after getting a flu shot?

Flu vaccine side effects are generally mild and go away on their own within a few days. Some side effects that may occur from a flu shot include soreness, redness, and/or swelling where the shot was given, headache (low grade), fever, nausea, muscle aches, and fatigue. The flu shot, like other injections, can occasionally cause fainting.

What about people who get a seasonal flu vaccine and still get sick with flu symptoms?

There are several reasons why someone might get flu symptoms, even after they have been vaccinated against flu.

1. One reason is that some people can become ill from other respiratory viruses besides flu such as rhinoviruses, which are associated with the common cold, cause symptoms similar to flu, and also spread and cause illness during the flu season. The flu vaccine only protects against flu, not other illnesses.
2. Another explanation is that it is possible to be exposed to flu viruses, which cause flu, shortly before getting vaccinated or during the two-week period after vaccination that it takes the body to develop immune protection. This exposure may result in a person becoming ill with flu before protection from vaccination takes effect.
3. A third reason why some people may experience flu  symptoms despite getting vaccinated is that they may have been exposed to a flu virus that is very different from the viruses the vaccine is designed to protect against. The ability of a flu vaccine to protect a person depends largely on the similarity or “match” between the viruses selected to make the vaccine and those spreading and causing illness. There are many different flu viruses that spread and cause illness among people. For more information, see Influenza (Flu) Viruses.
4. The final explanation for experiencing flu symptoms after vaccination is that flu vaccines vary in how well they work and some people who get vaccinated still get sick. When that happens, though vaccination has been shown in several studies to reduce severity of illness in those people who get vaccinated but still get sick.

What protection does a flu vaccine provide if I do get sick with flu?

Some people who get vaccinated may still get sick. However, flu vaccination has been shown in several studies to reduce severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick:

• A 2017 study showed that flu vaccination reduced deaths, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, ICU length of stay, and overall duration of hospitalization among hospitalized flu patients.
• Another study in 2018 showed that a vaccinated adult who was hospitalized with flu was 59% less likely to be admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) than someone who had not been vaccinated. Among adults in the ICU with flu, vaccinated patients on average spent 4 fewer days in the hospital than those who were not vaccinated.

In addition, it’s important to remember that flu vaccine protects against three or four different viruses and multiple viruses usually circulate during any one season. For these reasons, CDC continues to recommend flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older even if vaccine effectiveness against one or more viruses is reduced.

Special Consideration Regarding Egg Allergy

People with egg allergies can receive any licensed, recommended age-appropriate influenza vaccine (IIV, RIV4, or LAIV4) that is otherwise appropriate.  People who have a history of severe egg allergy (those who have had any symptom other than hives after exposure to egg) should be vaccinated in a medical setting, supervised by a health care provider who is able to recognize and manage severe allergic reactions. Two completely egg-free (ovalbumin-free) flu vaccine options are available: quadrivalent recombinant vaccine and quadrivalent cell-based vaccine.

Vaccine Information Statements (VIS)

Flu VISs are no longer updated every year. The edition dated 8/15/19 should be used for the current flu season.

Several formats including PDF available

Access VIS Here

Common flu shot side effects that are totally normal

The flu shot can cause some side effects which are usually normal.

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Face masks, hand washing, social distancing and avoiding gatherings are all essential for fighting and ending the COVID-19 pandemic. This year health authorities are asking everyone to get a flu shot to avoid a “twindemic” and the potential stress it could add to an already taxed health care system. 

According to the CDC, flu shots are safe and one of the best ways to prevent getting and spreading the flu to others. And for people that get vaccinated and get sick anyways, they often experience less severe symptoms. 

No matter how you look at it — flu vaccines can save lives. There are plenty of myths out there about the flu vaccine — one is that it can give you the flu. While that’s not true, you can experience some side effects from the flu shot. The side effects are usually mild and nothing to worry about, but it’s important to know about them so you’re not worried when you get your vaccine.

Below, Dr. Carmen Teague, specialty medical director at Atrium Health’s Mecklenburg Medical Group shares what you need to know about common flu shot side effects that are normal, and which side effects may be a sign of something more serious.  

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Common flu shot side effects 

The flu vaccine won’t give you the flu, but you can experience mild symptoms because of how the vaccine works. 

“The flu vaccine is designed to stimulate your immune system to build antibodies to the virus. That stimulation can cause a low-grade fever, a decrease in appetite, loose stool, mild fatigue or myalgia (muscle ache) and even a scant cough,” Dr. Teague says.

According to Dr. Teague, these symptoms usually resolve after a few days and are no cause for alarm. You may also experience some redness, swelling, or soreness where the shot was injected, which is also normal. 

The CDC says you can experience “flu-like” symptoms after getting the vaccine, such as:

• Soreness, redness, and/or swelling at the injection site
• Headache
• Fever
• Nausea
• Muscle aches

The symptoms listed above should resolve in a few days. Also, keep in mind not everyone has symptoms, but those are the most common. When it comes to other symptoms, or symptoms that last longer, it’s important to keep in mind that you can still catch a cold, or other virus, right after you get the flu shot. 

So if you experience other symptoms that seem like the flu, it could be another illness and it does not mean the shot made you sick. The flu shot also takes about two weeks to become effective at protecting you from the flu, so you could technically catch the flu within that two-week window.

Signs of a more serious (but rare) reaction

“A very small percentage of people can have a true allergic reaction to the vaccine including chest tightness, difficulty breathing, wheezing, facial or throat swelling and redness of the eyes,” says Dr. Teague. If you experience these symptoms, you should seek medical attention immediately. Dr. Teague says severe allergic reactions usually happen within a few hours of getting the flu shot.

Signs of a severe allergic reaction, according to the CDC can include:

• Difficulty breathing
• Hoarseness or wheezing
• Swelling around the eyes or lips
• Hives
• Paleness
• Weakness
• A fast heartbeat or dizziness

Another possible reaction is an infection where the shot was administered. “Patients can also develop an infection at the injection site which is manifested as worsening redness, swelling, warmth and tenderness,” Dr. Teague says. You should also seek immediate medical attention for this type of reaction. 

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

Flu shot facts & side effects

The seasonal flu shot is a yearly vaccine administered to protect against the flu, or influenza. In the United States, flu shots are recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The flu can be a very serious illness, especially in young children, adults ages 65 and over, those with underlying health conditions, and pregnant women. The flu shot is the best way to protect yourself and family from the flu, the CDC says.

Strains of the flu virus are constantly changing, so a new flu vaccine is made each year. Scientists make the vaccine before the flu season starts by predicting which flu strains are likely to be the most common during the upcoming season.

“Since the flu virus frequently drifts in its genetic composition, you have to reformulate the vaccine, and this is one of the reasons that people have to [get a flu shot] on an annual basis,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a preventive medicine and infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

When should you get a flu shot?

Exactly when the flu season starts and ends is unpredictable, so health officials recommend that people get their flu shot in early fall, preferably by the end of October, the CDC says. The same recommendation applies this year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Flu activity typically peaks in January or February.

“We’d like to get as many people protected against influenza before influenza becomes active in communities across the country,” Schaffner said.

Most flu vaccines are given before Thanksgiving, Schaffner said, but people can still get their shot throughout the winter months. Each season’s flu shot expires in June of that year, but Schaffner said that he would consider it “too late” to get a flu vaccine after March, unless a person is traveling to the Southern Hemisphere (where the flu season will be starting).

After vaccination, it takes a person about two weeks to build up immunity against the flu.

People can visit the CDC’s VaccineFinder.org to find flu shot locations.

Who should not get a flu vaccine?

Children younger than 6 months cannot get a flu shot. Those who’ve had a severe allergic reaction to a flu vaccine in the past should generally not be vaccinated, the CDC says.

You should not get the flu vaccine if you have a high fever. (You should wait until the fever is gone.)

However, if you have minor illness, like a mild cold or a headache, you can still get a flu shot, Schaffner said. “The vaccine does perfectly well in those folks.”

But people who have COVID-19 should not get a flu shot until they have met the criteria to discontinue isolation, according to the CDC. Although people generally can get a flu shot if they have a mild illness, they should not go get a flu shot while they could be contagious with COVID-19 to avoid exposing health care workers and other patients to the virus, the CDC says.

Flu shot side effects

According to the CDC, mild side effects from the flu shot include soreness, redness or swelling at the injection site, low-grade fever and aches. Only about 1% to 2% of people who get a flu shot will have fever as a side effect, Schaffner said. These mild effects should go away within a few days.

Rare but serious side effects can occur, including allergic reactions. Symptoms of serious side effects include difficulty breathing, swelling around the eyes or lips, hives, racing heart, dizziness and high fever. If you experience serious side effects, you should seek medical care immediately, the CDC says. In addition, it’s important to ask your health-care provider to file what a Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System report either online or by calling VAERS at 1-800-822-7967, the CDC says.

For children, side effects from the flu nasal spray can include runny nose, wheezing, headache, vomiting, muscle aches and fever. For adults, side effects from the spray version of the vaccine include runny nose, headache, sore throat and cough. These side effects last a short time compared with the actual flu illness, the CDC says.

How effective is the flu vaccine?

The effectiveness of the seasonal flu vaccine depends upon several factors, including how well the flu strains in the vaccine match the strains in circulation. Some studies show that when strains in the vaccine are a good match with the ones that are circulating, vaccinated individuals are 60 percent less likely to catch the flu than people who aren’t vaccinated, according to the CDC.

Flu vaccine effectiveness can also vary depending on the person being vaccinated — the vaccine tends to work best in healthy adults and older children, and less well in older adults.

For instance, a 2013 study from the CDC found that the year’s flu vaccine was not very effective in adults ages 65 and over: Older people who got the vaccine were just as likely to visit the doctor for flu symptoms as those who did not get the vaccine.

But other studies suggest that individuals who do get sick develop less serve symptoms if they are vaccinated. A 2013 study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases found that people who got the flu shot were less likely to be hospitalized with the flu.

There are some studies that suggest the high-dose flu vaccine given to individuals 65 and older may provide better protection for older adults. The high-dose flu vaccine contains four times the dose of the standard vaccine, Schaffner said. A 2014 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the high-dose vaccine provides 24 percent more protection against the flu than the standard dose, Schaffner said.

What kinds of flu shots are there?

Flu shots protect against three or four strains of flu virus. Trivalent flu vaccines protect against two influenza A strains — h2N1 and h4N2 — and one influenza B strain. Quadrivalent flu vaccines protect against the same strains as the trivalent vaccine, as well as an extra influenza B strain.

In addition to the standard-dose flu vaccine given through a needle, flu shots are available in several different forms. These include a high-dose version for those ages 65 and older; a “cell-based” version that’s grown in animal cells rather than hen’s eggs and is approved for people ages 4 and older; a “recombinant” vaccine that does not use the full influenza virus or chicken eggs in the production process and is approved for people ages 18 and older; and a nasal spray, which is approved for healthy people ages 2 to 49, but not for pregnant women.

There is also a needle-free flu shot, delivered by a so-called jet injector, which uses a high-pressure stream of fluid to inject the vaccine, the CDC says. It is approved for adults ages 18 to 64. 

Two new flu vaccines have been licensed for the 2020-2021 season, both for use in adults ages 65 and older. One of the new vaccines is a quadrivalent high-dose vaccine, which was previously available only as a trivalent vaccine, the CDC says. The second new vaccine is a quadrivalent adjuvanted vaccine that has an additional influenza B component.

What’s in this year’s flu vaccines?

The composition of the 2020-2021 flu shot will be different from last season’s flu shot. Specifically, all three components of the trivalent flu vaccine (h2N1, h4N2 and influenza B) have been updated compared with last year’s shot. According to the CDC, the 2020-2021 trivalent egg-based flu shot will contain the following strains of the flu virus:

•  A/Guangdong-Maonan/SWL1536/2019 (h2N1)pdm09-like virus — This is the h2N1 component that is different from last year’s flu shot.  
•  A/Hong Kong/2671/2019 (h4N2)-like virus — This is the h4N2 component that is different from last year’s flu shot. 
•  B/Washington/02/2019 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus  — This is the influenza B strain component that is different from last year’s shot. 

The 2020-2021 quadrivalent vaccine will also contain a second influenza B strain called “B/Phuket/3073/2013-like (Yamagata lineage) virus,” which was also included in last season’s quadrivalent vaccine.  

What’s flu activity like this season?

Flu activity has been unusually low in the U.S. during the 2020-2021 flu season, according to the CDC. As of Feb. 13, all states were reporting minimal flu activity, which is not typically for this time of year  — the U.S. usually sees its highest levels of flu activity in January and February.

The rate of hospitalizations so far this flu this season is 0.6 hospitalizations per 100,000 people. That’s extremely low — for comparison, during the mild flu season of 2011-2012, the hospitalization rate was 1.6 times higher at this time of year compared with the 2020-2021 season, the CDC said.

Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. is still testing for flu. But out of nearly 25,000 samples from sick people that were tested in the second week of February, just 14 samples, or 0.1%, were positive for flu.

The remarkably low levels of flu this year may be due to precautions taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as mask wearing and social distancing as well as school and work closures. But experts are worried that the flu could make a comeback at an unexpected time of year as immunity to circulating flu viruses wanes in the population, Live Science previously reported.

Flu shot and COVID-19: Your questions answered

Should I get a flu shot during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Yes. The CDC says that getting a flu shot during the 2020-2021 season is “more important than ever” in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting a flu shot is important not only to reduce your risk of flu, but also to reduce the burden on the healthcare system responding to COVID-19.

Will a flu vaccine protect against COVID-19?

No, flu shots do not protect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. (Separate vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have been authorized in the U.S. and are currently being rolled out to the population.) But flu shots do protect against strains of seasonal flu viruses and can reduce your risk of getting sick from the flu, as well as the risk of hospitalization and death from flu, the CDC says.

Can you get the flu and COVID-19 at the same time?

Yes, you can have the flu and COVID-19 — or another respiratory illness — at the same time. And there have been reports of this happening —  for example, the first death of COVID-19 outside of China occurred in a man in the Philippines who was also infected with influenza and Streptococcus pneumoniae, according to the University of Minnesota. Scientists are still studying how common dual infections with flu and COVID-19 are, the CDC says. 

Because flu and COVID-19 have similar symptoms, symptoms on their own can’t differentiate the two illnesses. Testing can determine if a person has flu or COVID-19 (or both). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already issued emergency use authorizations to several tests that can detect flu and COVID-19 at the same time, with a single sample.

How can I safely get a flu vaccine when COVID-19 is spreading in my area?

The CDC has issued guidance for giving vaccinations during a pandemic, and you can ask your doctor, pharmacist or health department if they are following this guidance before you get a shot. The guidance, which is geared towards those giving flu shots, includes recommendations such as screening people for symptoms of COVID-19 before they get their shot; providing appointment times to avoid crowding; ensuring staff wear medical face masks, and in some cases, eye protection and gloves; requiring face masks for those getting flu shots and using markers to help with physical distancing for those waiting for shots.

Myth #1: You get the flu from the flu shot.

“It’s a myth that you can get flu from the flu vaccine,” Schaffner said.

The viruses in the flu shot are killed, so people cannot get the flu from a flu vaccine. However, because it takes about two weeks for people to build up immunity after they get the flu vaccine, some people may catch the flu shortly after they’re vaccinated, if they are exposed to the flu during this time period.

Some people may also mistakenly attribute symptoms of a cold to the vaccine, Schaffner said.

The nasal spray vaccine contains a “live attenuated” flu virus, but the virus is weakened so that it cannot cause the flu. The viruses in the nasal spray can’t replicate in the warm temperatures of the lungs and other parts in the body. However, because temperatures in the nose are colder, the virus causes a small infection in the nose. This infection does not cause symptoms in most people, but in some people, it causes symptoms such as runny nose and sore throat, Schaffner said.

This local infection will prompt the body to make antibodies against the flu virus, Schaffner said. “That provides better protection against the real flu, which is of course, is a virus that can make you seriously ill,” Schaffner said.

Myth #2: The flu vaccine isn’t safe for pregnant women.

Yes. Studies show flu vaccines are safe for women in any stage of pregnancy, the CDC says. There are several reasons why it’s important for pregnant women to get a flu shot, Schaffner said.

“Pregnant women, when they get influenza, have a tendency to get a more severe disease,” and are at increased risk for complications and hospitalization from the disease, Schaffner said.

In addition, flu vaccination in pregnancy helps to protect the baby against flu during the first six months of life, when the baby is too young to receive a flu shot, Schaffner said. The mother “passes that protection on to her newborn baby,” Schaffner said.

Myth #3: Antibiotics can fight the flu if you get it.

Antibiotics only kill bacteria, but the flu is caused by a virus.

There are antiviral drugs that can fight flu infections, Cunningham said, but they’ve only been shown to work when they’re given within 48 hours of the start of symptoms. “Most people, by the time they go to the doctor, they’re past the 48-hour mark,” he said.

For patients hospitalized with severe flu, the drugs may help, he said. But they aren’t a cure, and for most people who aren’t hospitalized, these drugs may only cut down on the duration of the flu by a day or two.

Myth #4: You don’t need to get the flu vaccine every year.

There are two reasons why doctors recommend that people get the flu vaccine every year, Cunningham said.

For one, the strains of the flu virus that are circulating change from year to year. “It’s like the common cold — there’s more than one type of virus that causes the flu,” and, in fact, there are hundreds of flu viruses, he said.

Each year, health officials identify the virus strains that are the most likely to cause illness during the upcoming flu season, according to the CDC.

Second, the immunity you develop after getting the shot wanes by the following year. “If you get your shot in August, you’ll be safe through March, but those antibodies won’t be for the next flu season,” Cunningham said.

Myth #5: It contains thimerosal, which may be harmful.

Thimerosal — a preservative that contains mercury — has never been shown to be harmful, Cunningham said. The type of mercury linked with nervous system damage is methyl mercury, he said. Concerns over levels of methyl have led to recommendations that pregnant women avoid eating large amounts of certain types of fish, such as swordfish.

In contrast, thimerosal is an ethyl mercury compound.

Still, because the preservative raised controversy, especially over a now-disproven link to autism, it was taken out of almost all U.S. vaccines starting in 2001, Cunningham said.

The injectable form of the flu vaccine is available to health care providers as large, multidose bottles and small vials carrying individual doses. A tiny amount of thimerosal is added to the multidose bottles to ensure that no bacteria will grow in the vaccine, Cunningham said. The individual-dose bottles contain no thimerosal. 

The nasal spray form of the flu vaccine also contains no thimerosal, he noted.

Myth #6: The flu isn’t serious.

“The flu is certainly a very serious disease,” Cunningham said.

Every year, between 15 million and 60 million cases of the flu are reported in the U.S., Cunningham said. More than 200,000 people with the flu are admitted to hospitals yearly. And between 3,000 and 50,000 people in the U. S. die of the flu yearly. During the 2019-2020 flu season, early estimates by the CDC suggest 38 million Americans were infected with the flu and 22,000 people died from it.

One reason people may not perceive the flu as being serious is that cases of the “stomach flu” are mistaken for influenza virus infections. “True influenza is an infection of the lungs and respiratory tract,” Cunningham said. Infected people may develop a high fever, body aches and nasal congestion, he said.

People with the stomach flu — which is commonly caused by a virus called norovirus — have diarrhea, cramping and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Influenza does not cause such symptoms.

This article is for informational purposes only, and is not meant to offer medical advice.

Follow Rachael Rettner @RachaelRettner. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+.

Flu Vaccination FAQs – Aspen Corporate Health

Q: What is influenza (flu) and how is it transmitted?

A: Influenza, or ‘the flu’ as it is commonly called, is a highly contagious respiratory viral illness and is most common during the winter months. Influenza A and B are the major types of flu viruses that infect the body and can cause serious illness, and even death, in people of all ages. When someone with the flu sneezes or coughs, the virus is expelled into the air and may be inhaled by anyone close by.

Q:  What are the symptoms of the flu?

A: The typical symptoms a person with the flu may experience include a sudden onset of fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, runny nose and watery eyes. Children may experience vomiting and diarrhoea in addition to these symptoms, however, these symptoms are uncommon in adults.

Although the fever and body aches usually last for 3– 5 days, a cough and fatigue may persist for two weeks or more and, in cases of serious infections, complications such as pneumonia and inflammation of the heart and/or lungs can occur resulting in a much longer illness.

Q: Who gets the flu?

A: Everyone is susceptible to the flu. The disease can lead to severe complications in people over the age of 65 or with co-morbidities such as chronic disorders of the pulmonary or circulatory systems, congenital heart disease, cystic fibrosis, severe asthma, diabetes mellitus, chronic metabolic disorders, renal dysfunction and immune deficiency.

Q:  How long is a person with the flu contagious?

A: The period between infection and onset of symptoms (incubation period) for the flu is 1- 4 days. A person with the flu may be contagious 1 day before symptoms appear and for 3- 7 days after the onset of symptoms. Children may be contagious for longer than 7 days.

Q: Is flu considered serious?

A: For healthy children and adults, the flu is typically a moderately severe illness, however, most people are back on their feet within a week. For people who are not healthy or well to begin with, the flu can be very severe and even fatal. Symptoms have a greater impact on these people and, in addition, complications can occur. Most of these complications are bacterial infections due to the body being severely weakened by the flu such that its defences against bacteria are low. Bacterial pneumonia is the most common complication of the flu while the sinuses and inner ears may also become inflamed and painful.

Q:  How can the flu and its complications be prevented?

A: The flu and the common complications of this infection can be prevented with a high degree of success when a person receives the current flu vaccine. A new vaccine is made each year so that the vaccine contains the 3 most common circulating influenza strains that are expected to cause illness that year. For maximum effect, doctors highly recommend you are vaccinated well before the winter season starts, March and April.

Q:  Is the flu vaccine safe?

A: The vaccine does not cause the flu and it does not contain the “live virus”. Generally, people have no reaction to the vaccine although some people may experience mild side effects such as tenderness and redness at the injection site. This usually clears within a day or two and generally is only reported in 20% of people who receive the vaccine.

Some people experience flu-like symptoms as their immune system creates antibodies to the vaccine (the mode of immune protection). The risk of this is about 1 in 5.

Persons with allergies to eggs or chicken products should not receive the flu vaccine as it is prepared from flu viruses grown in eggs.

Q:  How effective is the flu vaccine?

A: In years where there is a good match between the vaccine virus and the virus strain causing illness, the flu vaccine is generally considered to be 70%- 90% effective in preventing the illness in healthy adults.

It is important to know that it takes about 2 weeks after vaccination for a person to develop protection against the flu. The vaccine does not protect against respiratory illness caused by other viruses.

Q:  Can you get the flu from a vaccination?

A: No, you cannot get the flu from the vaccine. The viruses in the vaccine are inactivated and incapable of causing the flu. Instead, the person is protected from the flu by antibodies that are formed by their own immune system’s response to the vaccine. While ‘flu-like’ symptoms usually occur within 6-12 hours of receiving the vaccine and last 1-2 days. This is a reaction common to many vaccines. 6-12 hours of receiving the vaccine and last 1-2 days. This is a reaction common to many vaccines.

Q: Why do I need to get vaccinated against the flu every year?

A: The amount of antibodies in the body is greatest 1 or 2 months after the vaccination and then gradually declines. For that reason and because the flu virus usually changes each year, a high-risk person should be vaccinated each autumn with the new vaccine.  The decline in protection may be influenced by several factors, including a person’s age, the antigen used in the vaccine and the person’s health status. This decline in protection has the potential to leave some people more vulnerable to infection, illness and possibly serious complications from the same flu viruses a year after being vaccinated. So for optimal protections against the flu, annual vaccination is recommended.

Q: What are the recommended strains for the 2020 seasonal flu vaccine?

A: The Australian vaccine for 2020 contains:

• an A/Brisbane/02/2018 (h2N1) pdm09-like virus
• an A/South Australia/34/2019 (h4N2)-like virus
• a B/Washington/02/2019-like (B/Victoria lineage) virus
• a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like (B/Yamagata lineage) virus.

Q: Can you have a recurrence of the flu even after having the vaccine?

A: A person can have the flu more than once regardless of receiving the vaccine. Influenza A and influenza B are the two types that cause illness of varying severity. Within each influenza virus family there are many viral strains. Both A and B have strains that cause illness of varying severity.

But the influenza A family has more virulent strains than the B family.

If you have the flu, your body responds by developing antibodies. The following year a new strain may appear. Your antibodies are less effective or ineffective against this unfamiliar strain. If you are exposed to it, you may come down with the flu again.

Q: Is the flu vaccine safe for pregnant women?

A: As a general guide, any females that are pregnant, planning to be pregnant or breastfeeding, should discuss with their Doctor as to whether they obtain the flu vaccine  during their first trimester. The Australian Immunisation Handbook, published by the National Health and Medical Research Council, recommends vaccination for pregnant women who will be in the their second and or third trimester during the flu ‘season’ (May to October) due to evidence from a number of studies that suggest an increased risk of developing flu-associated complications. Please advise our practitioners at the time of vaccinating if you are pregnant.

Q: Should I receive the flu vaccine if I have had a previous adverse reaction to a vaccine?

A: If you have experienced an uncommon/severe adverse reaction to any vaccine in the past, Aspen Corporate Health recommends you discuss your suitability to receive the flu vaccine with your General Practitioner. If you have required oxygen in the past following vaccination for any reason, including preexisting medical conditions, then it will be more appropriate for you to receive the vaccine in a medical facility where there is appropriate monitoring or nursing staff and medical equipment available.

Please find following a list of possible side affects you may experience from receiving the flu vaccines.

Adverse Effects

Like all medicines and vaccines, Fluvax and FluQuadri can cause side effects, although these generally are not very common. During clinical trials, the following side effects were reported with the use of Fluvax and/or FluQuadri:

Very Common (more than 1 in 10 persons):

• At the injection site: redness, hardness, swelling, itching and pain
• Feeling unwell, headache and muscular pain.

Common (more than 1 in 100 persons):

• At the injection site: bruising
• Fever (38C or higher) and shivering.

Aspen Corporate Health WILL report on ‘Uncommon’ side/adverse effects as listed below:

Uncommon (less than 1 in 100 persons):

• Fatigue, swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin, joint pain, itching       and rash
• Flu like symptoms, fever, fatigue, muscle soreness etc
• Increased sweating
• Unusual bleeding, bruising or purple spots on the skin
• Swollen joints
• Severe allergic reactions which can lead in rare cases to:
• Anaphylactic Shock leading to medical emergency
• Shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing
• Swelling most apparent in the head and neck or any part of the body
• Pain located on the nerve route, convulsions associated with fever, neurological disorders that may result in stiff neck, confusion, numbness, pain and weakness of the limbs, loss of balance, loss of reflexes, paralysis of part or all the body
• Vessel inflammation which may result in very rare cases in temporary kidney problems
• Skin reactions that may spread throughout the body including itchiness of the skin

Any side/adverse effect not described above which is deemed serious by the attending General Practitioner.

We advise that you remain in the vicinity of the vaccination room for approximately 15 minutes before returning to work. Should you experience an ‘Uncommon’ adverse effect, we encourage you to report back to the Practitioner as soon as they present.

As per section 4 of the Terms and Conditions in the Disclaimer Form, Aspen Corporate Health has an obligation to report your name to your employer should you experience an ‘Uncommon’ adverse effect for monitoring purposes.

Common and Rare Side Effects for flu vaccine quadrivalent 2014-2015 (6 mos, up) intramuscular

COMMON side effects

If experienced, these tend to have a Severe expression i

Sorry, we have no data available. Please contact your doctor or pharmacist.

If experienced, these tend to have a Less Severe expression i

• erythema or redness of skin or mucous membrane
• itching
• muscle pain
• low energy
• chills
• headache
• bruising
• reactions at the site of the injection
• a feeling of general discomfort called malaise
• a fibrous thickening of the skin called induration

INFREQUENT side effects

If experienced, these tend to have a Severe expression i

Sorry, we have no data available. Please contact your doctor or pharmacist.

If experienced, these tend to have a Less Severe expression i

• throat irritation
• joint pain
• fever
• changes in appetite
• cough
• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea

RARE side effects

If experienced, these tend to have a Severe expression i

• decreased blood platelets
• inflammation of the spinal cord
• a type of brain function problem called encephalopathy
• Guillain-Barre syndrome
• sudden blindness and pain upon moving the eye
• inflammation of the blood vessels
• a skin disorder with blistering and peeling skin called Stevens-Johnson syndrome
• trouble breathing
• a significant type of allergic reaction called anaphylaxis
• a type of allergic reaction called angioedema
• a hypersensitivity reaction to a drug
• a serum sickness reaction
• Bell’s palsy paralysis of one side of the face
• cellulitis
• a disorder of the brachial plexus, a bundle of nerves in the shoulder

If experienced, these tend to have a Less Severe expression i

• nerve pain
• fainting
• dizziness
• a skin rash
• temporary redness of face and neck
• swollen lymph nodes
• a feeling of pins and needles on skin

90,000 Symptoms that may occur after vaccination against COVID-19

After vaccination, every tenth person vaccinated against the coronavirus with Sputnik V may feel weak or nauseous. This is stated in the memo with recommendations issued in Moscow.

In most cases, the vaccine is tolerated normally. And malaise is an individual reaction of the body and one of the signs of the formation of immunity, according to RIA Novosti. If weakness and nausea appear, it is recommended to reduce physical activity and get more rest.

There are other side effects. So, 5.7 percent of the vaccinated may experience aches, chills, headaches, and fever. Antipyretic and pain relievers (paracetamol or ibuprofen) will help relieve these symptoms.

4.7 percent of those vaccinated have pain, itching, swelling and redness at the injection site. These symptoms will go away without treatment, but allergy medication can be taken to reduce the discomfort.

1.5 percent of patients may experience nasal congestion, runny nose, or sore throat.For these conditions, it is recommended to gargle, drink plenty of fluids, and use nasal sprays.

Less than one percent may have a faster heart rate or high blood pressure.

As written in the guidelines of the Ministry of Health, the combined vector vaccine “Gam-COVID-Vac” (“Sputnik V”) is obtained by biotechnology, in which the SARS-CoV-2 virus is not used. The drug consists of two components: a recombinant adenoviral vector based on human adenovirus serotype 26 carrying the gene for the S-protein SARS-CoV-2 (component I) and a recombinant adenoviral vector based on human adenovirus serotype 5 carrying the gene for the S-protein SARS-CoV- 2 (component II).Vaccination with this drug is carried out in two stages: first, component I is administered at a dose of 0.5 milliliters, then, after 3 weeks, component II at a dose of 0.5 milliliters. The drug is injected intramuscularly into the upper third of the outer surface of the shoulder, and if impossible, into the vastus lateral muscle.

90,000 St. Petersburgers share their reviews after vaccination against coronavirus

In St. Petersburg, vaccination of the population against coronavirus began in December: at first, they were sent for vaccination in an organized manner, now any resident can sign up for an injection.The editorial staff of Peterburg2 found out how the vaccination process is going and what kind of feedback among those who have already been vaccinated.

On December 10, in the northern capital, the vaccination of doctors, teachers, military personnel, and social workers began. On the eve of the new year, anyone can sign up for a vaccination. Earlier, in a special material, we talked about where the vaccine against COVID-19 can be done in St. Petersburg, whether it is possible to get vaccinated in private clinics, how to make an appointment, and whether it is worth getting vaccinated if you have already been ill.

And now we have collected feedback from Petersburgers who have already managed to get vaccinated against coronavirus and share their impressions.

(pixabay.com)

Anastasia, 24 years old, teacher of additional education

There was no officially confirmed positive test of COVID-19 disease, but in October 2020 the corresponding symptoms appeared and after recovery, a small amount of antibodies appeared. So, most likely, she had been ill in a mild form.

They were vaccinated from work in an organized manner, the dates and times at which they had to come to the clinic were distributed among those who wanted to.Since the clinic is private * and the schedule, in general, was respected, there was practically no need to wait in line.

Vaccinated with Sputnik V in two stages: the first at the beginning of December, and the second at the end of December (21 days later).

Three days before the first vaccination, they took a PCR test for COVID-19 (to find out if there was an active disease) and quantitative tests for IgM and IgG antibodies (to find out if vaccination is required or if our own antibodies are enough to protect the body) …Those who had negative PCR and a low level of antibodies were allowed before vaccination. We were vaccinated in a private clinic, so we only needed a passport with us. Before the vaccination itself, there was a full examination by a therapist, which included taking anamnesis, measuring temperature, pressure, examining the throat and phonendoscopy, and at the reception, the therapist talked about possible side effects after vaccination (the most common is an increase in temperature to 38-39 degrees, weakness, muscle aches and headache).After receiving an appointment with a therapist, if they had permission, they were immediately taken to the treatment room for vaccination. Also, the clinic’s requirements included a mandatory 30-minute stay in the institution after vaccination (in order to quickly provide assistance if an allergic reaction occurs).

After the first vaccination, I did not show any side symptoms, even the temperature did not rise above 37, but after 12 hours my husband’s temperature rose to 38.5 degrees, had a headache and was very weak.All symptoms (except for a mild headache) disappeared after another 12 hours and did not appear again. After the second shot, about 12 hours later, we both began to have muscle aches, like with the flu. This also continued for 12 hours, after which the symptoms disappeared.

* Editor’s note: in private clinics, mass vaccination is not currently being carried out, this review refers specifically to the preliminary agreement of the organization and the place of vaccination.

Vladimir, 60 years old, journalist

At the beginning of December 2020, before going to the sanatorium, I did an Igm test.The result was negative. After that, however, I had snot and tears, but the smell and taste remained, too, there was no temperature. I had slight doubts about whether to do it. But I decided – there would be no two deaths, and the consequences of vaccination, which are good, which are not very good, are not eternal. Around February 20, I will find out if the game was worth the candle.

I was signed up for vaccination through the Union of Journalists of Russia: before the new year, they threw a cry for everyone, but from our editorial office, only two expressed a desire to inject.After the New Year, we clarified the place and time of vaccination: I was vaccinated in polyclinic No. 39 of the Central District on Malaya Konyushennaya. We did not have any queue for vaccination – there would be a desire.

I was vaccinated on January 6 with Sputnik: before the injection, they even showed me an ampoule with an inscription. The procedure is as follows: first you need to fill out four documents (with general information, a questionnaire, consent to the processing of personal data and a memo). Then, on a first-come, first-served basis, an examination by a therapist takes place: he measures the temperature (non-contact), the level of saturation, pressure and pulse, listens to breathing.And he also interrogates for contraindications, chronic diseases, medications taken, etc. In addition to the listed papers, you need a passport, SNILS and a compulsory medical insurance policy – their data is entered into the database.

As for analyzes, nothing is required. According to the mind, it would be necessary to make a text for IgM antibodies (or a PCR test) before inoculation, but in reality this is not required. However, if only recently (or now) there were some signs of ARVI or other infection, and also if, for example, you are going on a long journey tomorrow, it is advised not to.In general, the therapist has the last word – if you don’t honestly tell him everything or he doesn’t understand that it’s better not, they will do it. After the therapist, “fives” are formed and, as the vaccine is ready after defrosting, injections are given. After vaccination, you are asked to wait half an hour in order to assess the patient’s condition immediately after vaccination. In general, the entire procedure takes from one to two hours. It is better to sign up in the middle of the day: in the morning there are more people who want to inject and will have to wait longer, and in the afternoon it may happen that the “five” is not typed.

So far I have given one injection – on January 27th I will go to the second. After the first injection, I had no negative ones. The injection site flushed a little, ached a little. But no numbness, no burning cheeks, no fever, no flu-like condition. In the following days (and on the 13th it was already a week since I was injected) nothing changed – no “side effects” or alarming symptoms.

Dmitry, 45 years old, teacher at school

I was not sick with Covid. They were vaccinated with Sputnik V from work in an organized manner: at the end of December (1 dose), in mid-January (2 dose).For vaccination, they were asked to bring the results of two tests (antibodies + PCR) – both were expected to be negative. I handed it over myself. Apparently, it is possible in the clinic, but that would be an unnecessary trouble.

On the day of vaccination, an examination was carried out in the clinic (temperature + pressure + general examination). Everything took two hours in total. While you fill out the papers, there is a queue for examination, vaccination, then they ask you to sit for another 30 minutes – in case of allergies.

After vaccination, on the same day, everything was fine. At night, apparently, the temperature rose, but in the morning there was no more, the next day – aches in the bones, weakness (feeling of “cooked”), slight pain at the injection site.On the third day, the symptoms were almost gone.

Fedor, 23 years old, school teacher

I have never been sick with Covid. At work, they offered to be vaccinated, I agreed. Vaccination took place on 24.12.2020 and 13.01.2021 with Gam-COVID-Vac.

Organization in the clinic left much to be desired. The first time it was necessary to wait for about 20 minutes near one office, where they checked the lists (of those who came), then to stand in line for more than an hour to see the therapist, and then wait another half hour until the fifth person was found.The fact is that the ampoule opens for five, it cannot be stored for a long time, because there are some special conditions. So, due to the fact that at the very beginning we were counted incorrectly, we had to wait a long time at the end (we went last).

The second time, everything was much more orderly and did not have to stand in long queues.

There was no preparation for vaccination, the examination is carried out rather formally, on the spot you need to fill out two questionnaires with personal data and health information, as well as sign a consent.

The day after the first vaccination I felt chills, malaise, muscle weakness, headache. I slept almost all day, then it became easier, but for a long time there were unpleasant sensations in the area of ​​the injection. The second was done today (01/13/2021), so far I can not say anything.

Anna, 23 years old, journalist

I don’t know whether I was sick with coronavirus or not, since I did not take an antibody test. But, judging by the state of health for the last 10 months, she was not sick.

Inoculated in an organized manner on January 8, 2021 “Sputnik V” (“Gam-COVID-Vak”).Vaccination was suggested by the health committee.

In my case, there was no preparation for vaccination. I was asked to bring my passport, SNILS and compulsory medical insurance policy. In the clinic, before vaccination, it was necessary to fill out a consent form and a questionnaire. Here are some questions: have I been ill with covid, have I been in contact with infected people in the last 2 weeks, what chronic diseases do I suffer from, etc. I was also given a checklist that talked about possible reactions to the vaccine. There was also a reminder of the timing of the introduction of the second component of the vaccine.

Before vaccination, I was examined by a therapist (listening to the lungs, measuring oxygen saturation, pressure, pulse).

What surprised me: before vaccination, they do not take an antibody test and do not ask for results if you have previously done such a test.

So far, I’ve only had my first injection. At first there was absolutely no reaction, even a surge of strength appeared. After 13 hours, typical flu symptoms began: a terrible chill, a temperature of 37.2, plus the deltoid muscle got sick (it is into it that the drug is injected).The next day, the fever and chills passed, but there was severe weakness, body aches, and a headache. On the third day, everything passed. Today is the sixth day after vaccination: pain in the deltoid muscle persists, but less and less noticeable, almost imperceptible.

Natalia, 30 years old, marketer

I was not sick with the coronavirus. She was vaccinated on January 11 herself (“Sputnik V”): she came to the nearest clinic to attach to it and make an appointment specifically for a vaccination against COVID. There, at the same time, they urgently looked for one person who wanted to, since someone did not come.I decided to go. Therefore, we can say that I was lucky, the vaccination was given on the day of treatment. The rest are put on a waiting list, and they wait their turn. In order to get vaccinated, you must be attached to the clinic. I was not attached, for this I took a standard set of documents – passport, policy, SNILS. Nothing is needed at the reception itself.

Before vaccination there is an examination by a therapist. They measure the temperature, pressure, check the saturation, listen to the heartbeat. They ask about chronic diseases, taking medications, allergies, were ill or not ill with covid / whether they had previously taken a PCR test or antibodies.No tests were required in the hospital before the vaccine. The doctor told how the procedure will take place, what side effects may be and what medications, in case of them, to take. Gave recommendations.

I signed a standard package of documents: a questionnaire describing whether there were contacts with the sick, the presence of cough, sore throat, etc., as well as consent to medical intervention. When vaccinated, they give out a memo with recommendations and possible side effects, and the date of administration of the next dose, as well as a certificate that the first dose of the vaccine was administered.

Within 30 minutes after vaccination, they are asked to stay in the clinic to monitor possible allergic reactions. I had nothing, the nurse was constantly interested in how I felt. In the evening after the vaccination, a mild flu-like condition began: bones began to ache, chills, and the temperature rose a little. I took a pill of paracetamol, and in the morning everything was gone. There have not been any other sensations besides these, everything is as usual.

Victoria, 45 years old, soldier

Recovered from coronavirus 4 months ago with lung damage of more than 50%.The doctors said that for six months I could not be afraid of anything. But when I passed the tests for antibodies in the clinic: they were not found at all, so I decided to get vaccinated.

Enrolled myself. The first vaccination was on December 26 (Sputnik V). The second time will be vaccinated on January 15th.

You don’t take anything with you for vaccination. You come, the doctor starts the card, examines it completely, describes everything.

There were absolutely no problems after vaccination. The doctor took the phone, the first three days he called and asked about his health.I also keep a special diary on public services. I get reminders on days to fill out. There are given questions in the form of a test (yes / no). I’m waiting for the antibodies to develop.

My husband also signed up for vaccinations on 12/30/30 while waiting for a call.

Earlier Peterburg2 told where the analysis for COVID-19 can be done in St. Petersburg for free, how much does the service cost in private clinics, how to take the test at home or without leaving the car, and whether it is worth doing the tests if there are no symptoms.

Complications after influenza vaccinations have been reported in a number of regions of the Russian Federation :: Society :: RBC

In a number of regions of Russia, complications have been reported after vaccinations against influenza.So, in Tomsk, a student of the first year of study noted the fact
complications after vaccination with influenza vaccine “Grippol”.

As the schoolchild’s parents told RBC, their son was vaccinated at the end of November at his place of study in Lyceum No. 7 as part of the compulsory vaccination program for schoolchildren in grades 1-11 against influenza.”The consequence of this vaccination was an increase in the child’s temperature and a sore throat, after which the doctors diagnosed us with angina,” the schoolboy’s mother shared. Parents connect their son’s illness with the vaccination.

This is not the only case of complications after “Grippol”: In a number of regions, cases of worsening of the condition of the vaccinated were also noted. ”Recently it was reported that more than 15 patients, most of whom were primary schoolchildren, applied for medical help to the outpatient clinics of Yekaterinburg.Some of the children even had to be hospitalized. The main reason
treatment – allergic reactions after using the Grippol vaccine.

Similar cases were reported in St. Petersburg, Ufa and Chelyabinsk –
there, parents with children also went to doctors after this vaccination.
The manufacturer of the vaccine, NPO Microgen, claims that allergic
reactions are possible in 3% of cases and this is the norm for any
vaccines. Official statistics this year did not confirm a single fact of complications, it is possible that the authorities decided to withhold this information until the end of the vaccination campaign, so as not to escalate tensions.

Last year, several schoolchildren in Stavropol almost immediately
after the vaccine was administered, they were admitted to the intensive care unit with edema
Quincke, which led to the temporary suspension of vaccination of residents
region “Grippol”. As the Regional Ministry of Health told then, “the reason was the numerous complaints of patients about reactions from the vaccine: vaccinated citizens had laryngeal edema, rash and other pronounced allergic reactions.” The prosecutor’s office of the Stavropol Territory opened a number of criminal cases under the article “Negligence” (article 293 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, provides for up to 5 years in prison), because the consequences of vaccination were more than serious: more than 70 children were hospitalized.The results of the investigation, despite promises to give them wide publicity, remained unknown.

Doctors and specialists in Russian pharmacology say that the vaccine is far from perfect. For example, Nikolai Ozeretskovsky, head of the laboratory for evaluating the side effects of medical immunobiological drugs at the Research Institute for Standardization and Control of Medical Biologicals, told Kommersant about a case in Stavropol that “the allergic reaction was caused by the drug itself, and not by the conditions under which it was introduced.””We could not find anything in the children’s history that would indicate that such a reaction to the introduction of the vaccine was possible,” the expert noted at the time.

How is Sputnik V vaccine tolerated? How to get vaccinated? | e1.ru

22-year-old Peter, asthmatic, told about his feelings after the vaccine was administered:

– I received the first component of the vaccine on December 30, 2020. It was about 11 am. An hour and a half later, painful sensations appeared at the injection site, redness, swelling.However, after 3-4 hours, these symptoms completely disappeared, as it turned out, for a while. After about 7–8 hours (that is, at the end of the working day), a strong weakness appeared very quickly – I wanted to sleep. So that day I fell asleep very early (at 9 pm). I woke up at 02:30 and felt very weak. I decided to measure the temperature – 39.5. And here is the reaction in full swing. Took paracetamol, the temperature dropped to 38.2 in the morning. By the way, she stayed at this level for about two days. That is, 3 days after vaccination, absolutely all symptoms disappeared completely.

On January 20, I received the second component of the Sputnik V vaccine. The sensations were quite similar. In the evening, after the vaccination, there was a strong weakness and chills – such that even two blankets did not save. In this “mode” I had to spend half the night, and by the morning the temperature rose to 39, and a symptom appeared that was not noted after the first vaccination – muscle pain. In fact, it was difficult to move around the apartment during the day. By the way, all our mini-group (“five”) of the vaccinated (1 bottle “Sputnik V” for 5 people) had exactly the same symptoms.Severe weakness, muscle pain persisted throughout the day, the temperature quickly dropped to 37.2 (after taking paracetamol), and two days after vaccination, all symptoms completely disappeared.

If you compare this condition with anything, you can say that it looks like a “flu-like” syndrome. You need to be mentally prepared for the fact that you can “fall out” for 1-2 days from the usual rhythm, but then everything is restored!

Thanks to our research institutes, they are the best in the world!

Don’t be afraid of the vaccine! The symptoms that arose in me and, as I could see, in the majority of those vaccinated, are quite typical and are caused by the introduction of a “foreign” substance into the body.

This is normal! After 1-2 days, all symptoms disappear without a trace, therefore, you should not be afraid of this in any case !!

“I went in, said:” It’s okay, I’m not dead, “and went about my business”: stories of people vaccinated against coronavirus

In the midst of the vaccination campaign, we publish live reviews of how people decided to inject Sputnik V and how it turned out

“It is tolerable, you can survive, especially if you know that it’s only three days and you don’t die from this,” – this is how the residents of Tatarstan who were interviewed by us who received the Sputnik V vaccine describe the side effects.Someone was lucky to do without sensations at all. About why a nursing mother, suffering from asthma all her life, was not afraid of vaccinations and how a young man who fell ill with ARVI after the first dose, doctors refused the second, – in the stories of “BUSINESS Online”.

“There was information that a vaccine was being developed, and we decided that the main thing for us was to live to see it. Our relatives, by the way, did not share our optimism and did not particularly expect the vaccination ”

“I wanted to lie on the floor, curl up in a ball and so that no one touched”

Alsou , 33 years old, on maternity leave, Kazan:

– My family and I wanted to be vaccinated as soon as we learned that a vaccine was being developed.I even considered participating in clinical trials. But they wouldn’t take me. The fact is that I am an asthmatic with more than 30 years of experience, half of which is in remission.

In the spring, no one really knew anything about COVID-19. The first foreign guides and Russian recommendations said that asthmatics are a risk group for severe course, and we sat in deep self-isolation. From March to May, only my husband went out on the street a couple of times a week to throw out the trash. Psychologically it was very difficult. By the beginning of the summer, the tension reached its breaking point, and we began to dream of our past, pre-coronavirus life.In parallel with this, relatives, neighbors and acquaintances with the coronavirus began to appear, and most of them for some reason died.

There was information that a vaccine was being developed, and we decided that the main thing for us was to live to see it. Our relatives, by the way, did not share our optimism and did not particularly expect the vaccination. Colleagues frankly spun at our temples to our desire to be vaccinated.

At the end of December on “BUSINESS Online” I read an article in which the Deputy Minister of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan Almir Abashev complained that the population of Kazan did not actively approach the issue of vaccination against covid and that those who wish should “contact their therapist.”We realized that our time had come. On the website of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan, I came across the page of her polyclinic and its Internet reception. There I wrote that my husband and I want to be vaccinated, I am at risk, asthmatic, my husband is not. I didn’t really hope, nevertheless, the next day, they called me back from the reception regarding my appeal and clarified the data. They said they were on the list and would call when the vaccine appeared. As a result, they called back on December 28 and invited me to the 29th.

At first my husband and I had doubts, since I was still a nursing mother.Nursing mothers are not vaccinated with Sputnik V. But, after thinking it over, we decided that we might not get a second chance to be grafted.

December 29 came for vaccination. The entrance to the polyclinic is common, the flows of the healthy and the sick are not separated in any way. The inlet temperature was not measured. A separate room on the ground floor was allocated for the vaccination: in one corner, blood is taken for an express test for antibodies, in the other, a therapist is interviewed. In an adjoining office, a vaccination room was equipped. There is a queue in the corridor, about 20 people, mostly elderly.We were given IDS for vaccinations and a questionnaire with questions about chronic diseases, medications and personal data.

In the office, they took blood for antibodies, then they called to a therapist, and there she again asks about diseases and taking medications. He looks at the throat, measures the oxygen saturation, for someone – the pressure, listens to the lungs. After that, with God, they let me go to the vaccine. There was a young Tatar nurse sitting there. Out of habit, I said that I am an asthmatic with polyvalent drug intolerance, fainting from injections, may need ammonia and anti-shock therapy.The nurse immediately turned pale …

They promised to create a chat in WhatsApp, where the nurse will monitor our well-being. In the end, she just wrote to me for a couple of days, and that’s it. On other days, they say, they did create chats. My husband does not have WhatsApp, every morning all the holidays he received calls from the hospital to ask how he was feeling.

Five hours after the first vaccination, there was a heaviness in the head, pain in the muscles of the neck. After 10-12 hours – a gradual rise in temperature to 38.8 degrees, severe aches in muscles and joints (never before), severe chills, pain in the epigastrium, mild indigestion, confusion, pain in the head.The temperature did not knock down. Thirteen hours after the vaccination, severe nausea, dizziness, as if the “sugar” had dropped, hunger (before that, a complete lack of appetite). Two short-term loss of consciousness due to dizziness when walking. By 3 o’clock in the morning sweat broke through, after which the temperature subsided. On the morning of the next day 36.6 degrees, headache and weakness persist, otherwise okay. The husband did not have any “side effects” at all. Even the injection site did not hurt.

The polyclinic was better prepared for the second vaccination.A few days later, they began to call and remind us to come for the vaccination, which are very much expected of us. At the entrance to the hospital itself, the girls were already standing and, having learned that they were vaccinated, they handed out a form to fill out. The temperature was measured at the inlet. The queue has become even larger. This time there was some kind of unit for automatic pressure measurement, and the therapist again asked about the diagnoses. The doctor this time turned out to be different and, having learned that I was an asthmatic, began to dissuade me. In general, it can be seen that the process has already been put on stream.

After the second vaccination, the injection site immediately hurt. By the evening, no new symptoms appeared, and I was already delighted, but at night I was covered. Again, there was severe aching in the joints (especially every joint on the arms and back), chills. Up to the point that I wanted to lie on the floor, curl up and not be touched by anyone. Light and noise phobia. Headache. Start to feel sick. The arm from the side of the injection was very painful. The axillary node is inflamed. I drank paracetamol, but the temperature still rose to 38 degrees.At night I could not sleep at all, I lay for 6 hours, and I could not sleep. Then I really wanted to eat (during the day there was no appetite, I ate through strength), I barely reached the table, weakness, dizziness. While sitting at the table, I felt that I could lose consciousness, I had to go down to the floor. In two days, I drank three tablets of paracetamol in total. The next day, there were unpleasant sensations in the throat from the side of the injection, a feeling of a foreign body that did not go away. By the evening of the second day, it became difficult to breathe while lying down.

After the second vaccination, my husband had a headache, pain in the muscles of the neck and also inability to sleep. On the third day after the vaccination, the husband also developed this foreign body sensation in the larynx. The temperature did not rise.

In general, everything is bearable, you can survive, especially if you know that these are only three days and they do not die from this.

In spite of everything, we are very glad that we were vaccinated. I hope that soon we will be able to walk again, where and when we want, to meet with parents and friends, to send the child to kindergarten.It can be seen that the medical staff is trying, although, perhaps, there are not instructions for everything yet, because the infection is new. Thank them very much for their work, for their efficiency and responsiveness.

I advise the vaccinated not to neglect the means of protection: take a spare mask, the queue is large, and the mask is damp, be sure to take a pen, passport, policy, SNILS. If an elderly relative is coming, go with him, support him. Do not plan anything for three days after vaccination, if you are unlucky with an adverse reaction. At home, prepare a thermos with a drink, paracetamol / ibuprofen and a thermometer in advance, so that later you do not have to look with a cloudy head.And do not forget to inoculate a sense of humor, because we will then tell our grandchildren how we survived this event of the century!

“I was vaccinated in my own hospital. Before that, they took all the tests for covid: a blood test for antibodies and a smear, in order to confirm that I had not been ill. Everything was negative ”

“after 8 hours my temperature rose to 38 degrees”

Lyudmila , 32 years old, nurse, Laishevo:

– I was vaccinated on January 15, Friday.Why? I work in this area and therefore am at risk. I work in a laboratory in Stolbishchenskaya Central Regional Hospital, and every day a lot of people pass through me. I am engaged not in “covid”, but in biochemical blood tests.

I was vaccinated in my own hospital. Before that, they took all the tests for covid: a blood test for antibodies and a smear, in order to confirm that I had not been ill. Everything was negative. I didn’t have to make an appointment for vaccination, but we were vaccinated in the general queue – both doctors and ordinary people.We were vaccinated by our procedural nurse.

Many of our doctors, of course, have already been ill and had immunity. And the other half went to get vaccinated.

As far as the organization is concerned, I can say that everything was clear and well-coordinated. Our procedural nurse calmly thawed the ampoule and called it exactly at the time the drug was thawed. Of course, we filled out the questionnaires and agreed to be vaccinated. Then the doctor examined us: he measured the temperature, looked at the throat, checked the general state of health.Then they were vaccinated – a shot in the shoulder – and for about half an hour they were under observation.

Before the first vaccination, we were given a referral leaflet, on which it was written what the vaccine was, the expiration date, where it was produced. After revaccination, the second vaccination, all this information will be hammered into the website of state services. After revaccination, you will receive a notification that an electronic passport has been created and all vaccination data will be entered there.

After about 8 hours my temperature rose to 38 degrees.I did not feel it, although it seemed to be hot. The next morning I woke up, there was still a slight fever, but by lunchtime everything had passed – and no more sensations appeared. I did not feel any aches. Although other employees, as I asked around, had joint aches, some had back pain, and some suffered normally. I didn’t take any medication, and others did. It’s good that I still got caught the next day after the vaccination, on Saturday, a day off, and those who would go to work would find it hard to work.

Among my acquaintances, I have not heard that someone had a very hard time taking the vaccine. Chills, of course, will be, even at a temperature of 37 degrees. But no one said that he was directly dying from the vaccine.

My next vaccination is on February 5th. Then, of course, I want to check the antibody level.

I can give advice not to be afraid and to walk calmly. And do not listen to any nonsense about zombies. We are not mice, nothing is tested on us, how can you hear it.

“Everyone unanimously says that you need to be vaccinated and you should do it with what you have, because there are simply no bad vaccines”

“my allergy has worsened, which has not existed for a long time”

Dmitry , 34 years old, photographer, Kazan:

– I was not afraid to be vaccinated.Firstly, I don’t believe the rumors, secondly, my mother is a doctor, and thirdly, my wife is a journalist and by the nature of her work she communicated with specialists who are developing a vaccine. And everyone unanimously says that you need to be vaccinated and you should do it with what you have, because there are simply no bad vaccines. At least so far nothing is known about any terrible side effects from these drugs.

The decision to get vaccinated was deliberate. I was sure that I was not sick with coronavirus.I always try to keep a social distance, I wear a mask with the maximum protection that doctors use (with a valve and filters) and, in addition, before vaccination, I independently passed an antibodies to coronavirus test, which showed that I have no immunity from COVID-19 …

I went for the vaccination as soon as they announced the start of vaccination in the 7th city hospital of Kazan. There was no electronic registration then, so I just came to the clinic on a first-come, first-served basis. On the first day, I didn’t manage to give an injection – there was not enough drug.

What was embarrassing is that in the same corridor there are people who want to be vaccinated against coronavirus (that is, presumably, they are not sick and do not have antibodies), and those who go to make certificates that they are sick with COVID-19, and in general all patients who come to the clinic, that is, there is no separation of flows, there is no separate entrance.

I returned the next day, I had to sit in line for about 1.5 hours. There were people of all ages with me – young people, older people, and pensioners.Completely different people. Some kind of examination by a doctor, temperature measurements, no tests were carried out, I was simply asked about the presence of allergies. I filled out a form, in which I marked with checkmarks that I had not been sick in the last 14 days, had not been sick with coronavirus at all and had no contact with such patients that I was not pregnant, and so on. Since I have an allergy, after the injection I was told to sit in the hallway for half an hour. Time passed, I went to them, said: “It’s okay, I’m not dead,” and went about my business.

I was not given a memo about possible side effects, nor was I a certificate of vaccination. They said in words that some side effects are possible, but they may all be different, for example, the temperature may rise. In the first three days after vaccination, they asked, as after Mantoux, not to wet the injection site, do nothing special, it is better to just lie down. They only gave me a piece of paper stating that on January 20 I needed to come to them for the second stage of vaccination.

For three days everything was normal, my arm ached a little, my body ached, but everything remained more or less, the temperature did not rise above 36.8–37 degrees, so I did not drink any drugs.But on the 10th day after the vaccination, a runny nose began and my allergy worsened, which had not occurred for a long time. For example, I now have a very strong reaction to frost, I have developed an allergy to walnuts, which I used to eat calmly. And the temperature rose to 37.5 degrees for two or three days. Then it went away, but I continue to suffer from allergies to this day.

It felt like it was a simple ARVI, I recovered and came to the second stage of vaccination. But before that, again, on my own initiative, I managed to go to the clinic and do an analysis for antibodies M (IgM) and G (IgG).It turned out that I have 17 antibodies G, and 4.2 antibodies, which means that I have been ill or is it a reaction to the introduction of the first vaccine?

I did not understand anything and on the 20th, as expected, came to the 7th hospital. I showed the tests to the doctors, but no one could give me an answer – could such an effect follow after the vaccine? They say: “We do not know, no one has come to us with tests for antibodies before.” This is a huge disadvantage of the entire vaccination campaign. In the end, they said: “The decision is yours,” but they advised not to do the second vaccine yet.My dose was poured out. I don’t know how they wrote it down from the documents – that I was vaccinated or that I refused, at least I didn’t sign anything. Why it was impossible to introduce my dose to the next in line, I also did not understand. They just told me: “We will call you if someone else refuses the same way.” Perhaps the doctors were embarrassed by my exacerbation of allergies, and they were simply afraid of complications.

Later I read that the first vaccine (although it was about Pfizer) gives immunity, but weak, you need to give a second injection.Now I don’t know if I should get vaccinated or not. Doctors cannot give a normal answer to my questions.

“I recommend everyone to get vaccinated – it’s better to protect yourself than to lie in a hospital bed for a long time.”
Photo: “BUSINESS Online”

“It is extremely important to carefully observe the conditions of its storage, otherwise the effectiveness may be nullified”

Gulnar Akhmetova , 55 years old, Chief of Staff of the Executive Committee of the city of Naberezhnye Chelny:

– I was not sick with the coronavirus.For me, this is surprising, because I had to meet and communicate with sick people, but this disease bypassed me. I know that I was not sick, absolutely for sure, as I passed tests using the PCR method and did tests for antibodies.

I had no fears of vaccination (if they had arisen, I would not have gone!). Those close to me supported me. The decision to vaccinate was made a long time ago, when the registration of a vaccine against coronavirus was still being discussed. This is important for me, because I consider vaccination as a whole significant and necessary business.

I made an appointment for the vaccination by phone, privately. I wanted to come on Friday so that, if side effects appear, I can get through them over the weekend, but it didn’t work out. Therefore, I had a preliminary appointment on Monday. We went as a friendly team – with my sister and work colleague. The queue turned out to be small – about five people. Among those who came for vaccination, there were many older people, which is good news.

I was vaccinated (the first stage) in the 7th polyclinic of Chelny, after three days I feel well, I do not feel any side effects.Before the vaccination, I was thoroughly examined by a therapist, I filled out a fairly extensive questionnaire, an anamnesis was collected about whether I have chronic diseases, allergic reactions, they also measured my blood pressure, checked my blood saturation.

Painful sensations during vaccination did not appear – like a usual vaccination, a small injection. After the procedure, I was given a memo reminding me of how to behave after vaccination, the nurse also voiced the main contraindications and told me what day I need to come for the second stage.They took a cell phone – for a reminder.

I felt good. For comparison: in 2020 I was vaccinated against the flu – and then there was even more discomfort. The sister and colleagues also had no complications. I call everyone every evening, everyone feels great. So there was no need to drink paracetamol.

I do not think that the lack of reaction is due to the fact that the vaccine was somehow stored incorrectly or thawed too early. Before the appointment, they called us and asked if we would definitely come to see if the drug needed to be thawed.So we knew exactly what time to go. I plan to take an antibody test after the second stage of vaccination in order to know my level of immunity to coronavirus.

It might be possible to expand coverage by allowing private clinics to vaccinate, but in the case of a COVID-19 vaccine, it is extremely important to carefully observe the conditions for its storage, otherwise the effectiveness may be nullified (as a pharmacist by education, I know this for sure).

I recommend everyone to get vaccinated – it’s better to save yourself than to lie in a hospital bed for a long time.

“At most, you simply will not develop antibodies, and the worst thing is anaphylactic shock (this happens very, very rarely). Actually, that’s why they ask to stay in the hospital after vaccination ”

“It is pointless to wait for the whole world to get sick or everything will settle down by itself”

Pavel , 40 years old, microbiologist, Kazan:

– I was vaccinated against coronavirus infection almost two weeks ago.This is the Sputnik V vaccine. There is no EpiVacKorona from the Novosibirsk center “Vector” yet, and it will appear not earlier than in a month. In addition, it is not known how widely the drug will be offered as a proposal. And the whole virion vaccine from the center. It is also pointless to wait for Chumakov before spring. So Sputnik V is the only option that turned out to be possible.

I decided to vaccinate myself, voluntarily, like my parents, with whom we went to the procedure together. There is no vaccination point in the clinic to which I am attached, so I called the call center of the clinic where he was.It turned out to be a hospital for veterans.

Before the very vaccination, no tests were taken, everything was limited to a small number of questions. On the phone, the first thing they asked was if I was sick, if I had allergies, chronic diseases, and so on. The therapist asked the same questions at the meeting. Then he looked in the database to which clinic I was attached to, was a little surprised why I vaccinated at them, but the answer that there was simply no vaccination center in mine explained everything.

Then I filled out a short questionnaire, where there were similar questions, such as whether I was sick, whether during the last 14 days there was any malaise, fever, whether I had contact with someone who has covid.They also gave me a leaflet, let’s call it informed consent, which said that, having agreed to the vaccination, I was aware that I was being vaccinated with the drug “Gam-COVID-Vac”.

Like my parents, I had no “side effects” after the vaccination: no temperature or any other sensations. Is that a slight soreness at the injection site on the shoulder. The next vaccination is scheduled for early February. As the doctor told me, they will notify me in advance, draw up a schedule and invite me at a certain time.

Why did I decide to vaccinate? Because in the current situation there is no alternative. Just waiting for the whole world to get sick or everything will settle down by itself is pointless. And, most likely, it will either last for years or never happen. So vaccination is the only option to remain more or less confident in the safety of your own and your loved ones.

And even more so, he did not feel any fear. Perhaps because by the nature of his activity he is more aware of this issue (I am a microbiologist), as they say, I know the kitchen from the inside.In my opinion, and it is close to the truth, the likelihood of getting complications as a result of the disease is much higher than the likelihood of getting complications from vaccination. And everyone will get sick sooner or later.

Those who have been ill will also not get any harm from the vaccination. After all, one must understand that immunity is impermanent and weakens over time. And if enough time has passed after the illness, then it is already necessary.

Yes, we cannot completely eliminate the side effect, there is no one hundred percent safe vaccine.But as a maximum, you simply will not develop antibodies, and the worst thing is anaphylactic shock (this happens very, very rarely). Actually, that’s why they ask to stay a little in the hospital after the vaccination. And yet there is 99.9 (and many more nines in the period) percent that all this is safe.

In general, in the entire history of vaccination, there was the only example when a drug caused harm – this is the polio vaccine. She was not weakened enough and therefore was able to cause the disease.But now it is not necessary to wait for this. Simply because there are no “live” vaccines against the coronavirus.

By the way, among my friends, colleagues, acquaintances, there were no people who would try to dissuade me. On the contrary, in my environment, people intend to take root. Although some of the vector vaccines (they have a special carrier, in this case adenovirus) are so lightly suspicious and prefer to wait for EpiVacCorona. But this is an irrational feeling, by and large.

Let me explain: vaccines that are now on the market or will be available in Russia in the near future are of three types: vector (“Sputnik V”), epitopic (“EpiVacCorona” from “Vector”) and whole-virion (from the Chumakov Center) …The epitope vaccine is still scarce; it is at a fairly early stage in the third phase of clinical trials. The same applies to whole virion. Therefore, for now, only Sputnik is being vaccinated en masse. Epitope vaccines are expected to be milder, with minimal side effects. And the strongest immunity to coronavirus, most likely, will be formed after inoculation with the whole virion vaccine. But the body’s reaction to the introduction of such a vaccine may also be stronger.

Will you be tested for antibodies? May be.If it’s free, most likely.

90,000 Recommendations to citizens on the prevention of influenza and ARVI

What is flu and what is its danger?

Influenza is an infectious disease that anyone can get. The causative agent of influenza is a virus that gets from infected people into the nasopharynx of others.

Most people only get the flu for a few days, but some get more serious, possibly severe or even fatal.

With flu, existing chronic diseases are aggravated, in addition, the flu has an extensive list of possible complications:

• Pulmonary complications (pneumonia, bronchitis). Pneumonia is the cause of most deaths from influenza.
• Complications from the upper respiratory tract and ENT organs (otitis media, sinusitis, rhinitis, tracheitis).
• Complications from the cardiovascular system (myocarditis, pericarditis).
• Complications from the nervous system (meningitis, meningoencephalitis, encephalitis, neuralgia, polyradiculoneuritis).

To avoid possible complications, it is important to timely prevent influenza and properly treat the disease itself.

Influenza usually starts suddenly. The causative agents of influenza, viruses of types A and B, are distinguished by their aggressiveness and extremely high reproduction rate, therefore, within a few hours after infection, the virus leads to deep lesions of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, opening up opportunities for bacteria to penetrate it.

Flu symptoms include fever, temperature 37.5–39 ° C, headache, pain in muscles, joints, chills, fatigue, cough, runny or stuffy nose, pain and sore throat.

Influenza can be confused with other diseases, so a clear diagnosis must be made by a doctor, who also prescribes treatment tactics.

What to do if you get the flu?

The patient himself, at the first symptoms, needs to stay at home, so as not only not to infect others, but also to start treatment in time, for which it is necessary to immediately consult a doctor.To prevent the further spread of infection, the sick person must be isolated from healthy persons, it is advisable to allocate a separate room.

Important!

Parents! In no case send sick children to kindergarten, school, cultural events. With the flu, it is extremely important to stay in bed, as with the disease, the load on the cardiovascular, immune and other systems of the body increases.

Self-medication for influenza is unacceptable, and it is the doctor who must diagnose and prescribe the necessary treatment appropriate for the patient’s condition and age.

For correct treatment, it is necessary to strictly follow all the recommendations of the attending physician and take medications in a timely manner. In addition, it is recommended to drink plenty of water – it can be hot tea, cranberry or lingonberry juice, alkaline mineral waters. You need to drink more often and as much as possible.

Important!

At a temperature of 38 – 39 ° C, call a local doctor at home or an ambulance team.

When coughing and sneezing, the patient should cover his mouth and nose with a handkerchief or tissue.

The room where the patient is located must be regularly ventilated and wet cleaning there as often as possible, preferably with the use of disinfectants acting on viruses.

Contact with a sick influenza should be limited, and when caring for him a medical mask or gauze bandage should be used.

How to protect yourself from the flu?

According to the position of the World Health Organization, the most effective remedy against influenza is vaccination, because it is the vaccine that provides protection against those types of influenza virus that are most relevant in this epidemiological season and are included in its composition.

The introduction of a vaccine into the body cannot cause disease, but by developing protective antibodies it stimulates the immune system to fight infection. The effectiveness of the influenza vaccine is incomparably higher than all non-specific medications that can be taken during the winter months, such as immunomodulators, vitamins, homeopathic remedies, “traditional medicine” and so on.

Vaccination is recommended for all groups of the population, but it is especially indicated for children from 6 months, people suffering from chronic diseases, pregnant women, as well as people from occupational risk groups – medical workers, teachers, students, service and transport workers.

Vaccination should be carried out 2-3 weeks before the onset of an increase in the incidence, vaccination can only be done in a medical institution by specially trained medical personnel, while a doctor’s examination is mandatory before vaccination.

There are few contraindications to influenza vaccination. The flu vaccine should not be given in acute febrile conditions, during an exacerbation of chronic diseases, with an increased sensitivity of the body to egg white (if it is part of the vaccine).

Having been vaccinated against influenza, you protect your body from the attack of the most dangerous viruses – influenza viruses, but there are still more than 200 types of viruses that are less dangerous for humans, but can also cause SARS. Therefore, during the period of an epidemic rise in the incidence of ARVI and influenza, it is recommended to take non-specific prophylaxis measures.

Flu Prevention Regulations:

• Get the flu vaccine prior to the outbreak season.
• Reduce the time spent in crowded places and public transport.
• Use mask in crowded areas.
• Avoid close contact with people who have signs of illness, such as sneezing or coughing.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water regularly, especially after outside and public transport.
• Flush the nasal cavity, especially after street and public transport
• Ventilate the area in which you are on a regular basis.
• Regularly damp the room you are in.
• Humidify the air in the room where you are.
• Eat as much vitamin C as possible (cranberries, lingonberries, lemon, etc.).
• Eat as many meals with garlic and onions as possible.
• Use drugs and immunity-enhancing agents as directed by your doctor.
• In case of occurrence of influenza patients in the family or work collective, start taking antiviral drugs for prophylactic purposes (as agreed with the doctor, taking into account contraindications and according to the instructions for use of the drug).
• Lead a healthy lifestyle, get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet, and exercise regularly.

More detailed information on how to protect yourself and your loved ones from influenza and SARS can be found in a special section on the Rospotrebnadzor website.

Be healthy!

Information for Patients and Caregivers: Second COVID-19 Vaccine: Side Effects, Why They Occur and How to Treat Them

Both the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and the Moderna vaccine are given in two doses, and it is very important to get both vaccines.If you do not get a second shot, protection against infection will be incomplete.

Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is given in two doses 21 days apart. Moderna vaccine requires two vaccinations 28 days apart. You must get the vaccine from the same manufacturer (either Pfizer or Moderna) for the first and second time, and be sure to get a second dose on the recommended schedule. You will make an appointment for the second dose right at your appointment for the first dose.

Side effects are more likely to occur and may be more noticeable after the second dose of vaccine. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have almost the same side effects, but they do not appear for long – from one to three days. The most common side effects include arm pain, weakness (feeling tired), headache, aches, and fever. Side effects are a good sign: they indicate that the vaccine is working and that the immune system is activated.Serious side effects are rare and treatable.

If possible, get vaccinated before the weekend in case you need extra rest after the second dose. Remember, must strictly adhere to the recommended vaccination schedule. The second dose of Pfizer vaccine should be received exactly 21 days after the first, and the second dose of Moderna vaccine should be given 28 days after the first.

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If you experience any side effects, this is a good sign.They show that the vaccine is working and that the immune system is activated.

After the first vaccination, your immune system recognizes something foreign. The immune system automatically launches a mild attack against it. This process teaches your immune cells to recognize and respond to invaders. This is why you may experience side effects.

After the second vaccination, your immune system starts this attack again. But this time, more immune cells are activated, ready to launch a much more serious attack.This is why you may experience more side effects after the second dose. But they will disappear in a day or two. Think of it this way: the body’s response to a vaccine is like training before a real fight.

If, after a full vaccination, you were still infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, your immune system would be ready for an even larger and more powerful attack to protect you.

If you have no side effects (after the first or second dose), this does not mean that the vaccine has not worked.In clinical trials of the vaccine, more than half of the participants did not experience any side effects, but we are confident that the vaccine works effectively in these people too.

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If you experience pain or discomfort after the vaccine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter drug such as ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Ways to eliminate pain and discomfort in the hand:

• Cover the affected area with a cool, clean, damp cloth.

• Stretch your arm or exercise with that arm.

In most cases, discomfort from heat or pain is normal. Contact your doctor in the following cases:

• If the redness and pain at the injection site intensifies after 24 hours.

• If the side effects bother you or do not go away after a few days.

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You should wait for the vaccination and then monitor your health. If side effects occur, over-the-counter medications (such as Advil or Tylenol) can be taken to lower fever, reduce chills, or relieve headaches or body aches. It is imperative that you do not take these drugs before vaccination, as there are theoretical concerns that certain pain medications may interfere with the immune response to the vaccine.It is also unclear if taking medications ahead of time actually helps reduce symptoms after vaccination.

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Some patients may experience some enlargement or tenderness of the lymph nodes after receiving Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines. In addition, swollen lymph nodes can be detected by medical imaging and are mistaken for the progression of certain cancers – most notably breast, head and neck cancers, melanoma, and lymphoma.

This vaccine side effect is more common after the second dose. It usually occurs within 2–4 days after vaccination and can last 10 days on average.

On imaging, enlarged lymph nodes can be detected for a longer time. Therefore, our recommendations will be as follows:

• If you develop these symptoms after vaccination, you should contact your doctor.In most cases, it is recommended to wait at least four weeks before undergoing an additional test so that the lymph nodes shrink back to normal size during this time.

• Vaccination against COVID-19 should be administered following routine medical imaging procedures. If you have already received the vaccine, we recommend that you have routine breast exams, including mammography and MRI, no earlier than six weeks.

• If you have had cancer, you should be asked to administer the COVID-19 vaccine, if possible, on the opposite side that has not been affected by the cancer.

• If the enlarged knots are causing you discomfort, you can apply a warm compress. You can take acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve discomfort.

It is important to know that all types of vaccines can cause temporary swollen lymph nodes. This may indicate that antibodies are being produced in the body, as it should be.

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Clinical studies show that vaccination may provide some protection about 12 days after the first dose, but for full protection, you must receive both doses. After both doses, the vaccine has a 90% chance of preventing COVID-19 infection.

On May 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that people who have completed the full course of vaccinations may no longer wear a mask or maintain social distancing in most cases. However, the CDC also noted that people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, should talk with their healthcare provider about the need for protective measures, even if they are vaccinated. Therefore, to protect our patients from COVID-19, all staff, patients and visitors must continue to wear masks while at MSK.These requirements also apply to people who have completed the full course of vaccination.

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Antibody testing to check for immunity to COVID-19 after vaccination with Pfizer / BioNTech or Moderna is not recommended at this time. The COVID-19 antibody test used at MSK detects an immune response after being infected with COVID-19. It does not analyze the immunity created after vaccination. This is why vaccine response assessments should not be scheduled regularly.

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Both vaccines are among the most effective in human history. They are just as effective, if not more effective, than vaccines for polio, chickenpox, measles, and influenza.

The risk of getting sick after vaccination is minimal. Research shows that even if you contract COVID-19 after receiving the vaccine, the disease is unlikely to become severe. Flu vaccines are less effective than COVID vaccines, but they protect against flu complications and hospitalization.The COVID-19 vaccines are even stronger. Only one of the more than 30,000 people vaccinated in the course of the study became severely ill. The COVID-19 vaccine is almost 100% effective in preventing severe infections.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines.

May 24, 2021

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