coronavirus

What to Expect: COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects

One doctor said whether it's Moderna, Pfizer or another brand, the side effects are the same and they can last between two and five days

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As COVID-19 vaccinations continue so do the reports of side effects, from headaches to extreme fatigue and fevers.

Some people said the side effects following their second dose were a little scary at first, but they said that shouldn't discourage others from getting their shots.

Lorraine Amezquita dealt with on-and-off headaches and fatigue for three days after her second Moderna vaccine shot.

"I was worried when I got the chills and the achy bones on Saturday," she said. "That really kind of frightened me."

Her husband Ron had the opposite reaction.

"I didn’t go through what she did," Ron said. "I had hardly nothing. I had maybe a little bit of soreness in the arm and that was it."

Dr. Harsha Ramchandani of Bay Area Community Health said she too had mild symptoms after her second vaccine dose.

"For the second dose, your body already knows how it feels like," Ramchandani said. "So, the body’s immune response is a little bit more stronger for the second shot."

Ramchandani said whether it's Moderna, Pfizer or another brand, the side effects are the same and they can last between two and five days.

For Lorraine, it was about 36 hours. But even with the side effects, she said she would do it all all over again for the greater good.

"I would recommend everybody take the vaccine," she said. "Once we do, it seems like we'd be in a much safer place."

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