We are at a completely different point in the pandemic compared to last year. The lines to get certain vaccines, while seemingly endless, are worth the effort for most of us because they protect us from the virus and its side effects.
Interestingly, one of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of ending the pandemic is not related to medical or logistical issues but the lack of information about covid-19 vaccines. In part, this type of “fear” relates to the side effects that vaccines can cause since, although they may not be catastrophic, there is some misinformation about them, especially as they have not been thoroughly studied.
That being the case, what are the new side effects I need to be aware of?
While there is no need to worry, it is important to be informed about the possible effects of certain vaccines. Knowing what changes may occur in your body is very important, even if they are not dangerous. For example, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recently found three new side effects on Pfizer and Moderna. These are a mild allergic skin reaction, glomerulonephritis (mild inflammation in the kidneys), and nephrotic syndrome (loss of some proteins).
These types of side effects are not dangerous and pose no threat to your health. They are simply reactions that eventually disappear or aggravate some other condition you may already have; nevertheless, such cases are extremely rare.
EMA resident Felix Drexler, M.D., recently released a new study on the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. He found just a handful of cases of joint pain, myocarditis (mild inflammation in the heart tissues that is treatable), and some reddish skin lesions that disappear with specific treatment.
The benefit of knowing all this is that it allows doctors to continue to do their research. One must understand that there will always be the possibility of side effects from any vaccine, not just the Covid-19 vaccine.
The only thing left for us to do is to be socially responsible and get fully vaccinated as soon as possible, bearing in mind that, should there be any side effects, they are treatable, and specialists are already aware of them.
