Vaccine Booster: Update

~ beetleypete

On Tuesday afternoon, I had my third dose of C-19 vaccine, the ‘booster shot’.

This was a different vaccine to the Atra-Zeneca innoculations I had been given previously, as this time it was the Pfizer version. Because of the possibility of any side effects from giving different vaccines, we were all required to wait in the GP Surgery for fifteen minutes before leaving, in sight of the receptionist.

Other than the needle being quite painful going in this time, and leaving a small spot of blood that was covered by a dressing, I felt fine. After I sat out the required fifteen minutes, I drove home as normal. That evening, I cooked dinner, relaxed as usual, and went to bed at a reasonable time.

On Wednesday morning, the outside temperatures had dropped considerably, and there was a lingering mist here in Beetley. But I woke up in bed feeling unbelievably cold, despite being covered by a thick duvet. I got up and put the central heating on, telling Julie how cold I was feeling. All morning, I couldn’t get warm. Despite adding extra layers of clothing, and the heating turned up to twenty-three degrees, I remained uncomfortably cold inside the house.

By the time I had to take Ollie out, it had started to rain. So I wrapped up well, and walked briskly for just over an hour. When I got home, I was still feeling cold, especially my hands and feet. It wasn’t until after dinner, by seven in the evening, that I started to warm up. The heating has been on for almost twelve hours by then, and I didn’t turn it off until nine o’clock. Just after ten I was feeling worn out, so went to bed, falling asleep immediately.

This morning I woke up with a niggling headache, and it won’t go away just yet. My arm is painful at the injection site too. My conclusion is that both the feeling of intense cold and today’s headache are indeed side-effects of a different strain of vaccine entering my system.

But if that’s the worst it is going to get, I am still very glad that I had the booster.

93 thoughts on “Vaccine Booster: Update”

  2. I had my second vaccine last Thursday and I felt rough until yesterday evening. They jabbed my leg this time as my arm was hot and swollen for 6 weeks with the first jab. It seemed to suit me better as a week later all the muscle aches and chills have gone.

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      1. Apparently all children are vaccinated this way. Perhaps because the thigh muscle is bigger and so can take up the vaccine better? I don’t know. All I do know is that it worked for me. Number three will be in May.

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  3. The CDC was kind enough to post its figures for VAERS covid vaccine deaths (9,367 deaths), but then gave a misleading risk of death as 0.0022%. The covid vaccine risk of death based on VAERS is actually closer to 0.004%. Still tiny. But then there’s that nasty under-reporting factor, which the scientific literature puts at 36 fold. So that puts the risk factor at 0.144%, which is in the ball park of the risk of death from covid itself.

    I’ve got references to the scientific literature if you care.

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  9. Is it only Pfizer vaccine being used in boosters? I ask because that’s what I had for my double jabs, the OH had AZ. I didn’t have any side affects, though the second jab was more painful going in. We’ve been I vited

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      1. They are giving Pfizer or Moderna for boosters as I understand, depending on the health authority. Julie had Pfizer previously, so she was fine. I had AZ, so I think that’s why I felt so ill. I’m a lot better now, but still not 100%. If your OH gets a different vaccine, as I did, he might want to think about riding out the side effects for a couple of days.
        Best wishes, Pete. x

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  10. Thanks for the warning. I haven’t gotten my booster yet but plan to in the next few weeks. It will be Moderna as that’s why I received originally. I had some side effects last time but nothing major. Worth it I still believe.

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    1. You should be okay, as you are having the same vaccine. I think changing the vaccine here for boosters has caused a lot of people to suffer side-effects.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  15. Hi Pete, I had the double Pfizer vaccinations and I had similar symptoms with the first jab. I was very cold, I had a bad headache and the site of the jab ached. The symptoms lasted for two days. The second jab was fine and I had no symptoms.

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  18. Glad to hear that you have had the booster and reassuring for everybody to hear from an exemplar of rational humanity like you that the side-effects are bearable.

    The few people I know who have had the booster have all reported side-effects; a small price, I think, to pay while this pandemic is still not under control. Good wishes to you, Julie and Ollie are emanating from this box Pxx

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  21. Interesting to hear this, thank you. Most of the comments seem to agree that the third vaccine shot was worth it despite some side effects. My personal experience is that although I didn’t feel great after shots 1 and 2, after shot 3, the pfizer booster, I thought i’d been hit by a truck and was ill for a full week. I’m not sure I would do it again.

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    1. I feel much better today, now the headache has gone. I think even a week of side-effects is a better option than the chance of ending up in intensive care. Glad to hear you have had all three now.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  22. Pete, we had J&J for our “one and done” shot back in April, and are getting our booster, Moderna, on Saturday. We cleared out schedule for Sunday in anticipation of side effects…we’ll watch movies and ride it out, because as you say, it’s better than the alternative – we just hit 750,000 people who have died in the US to date…..far more than needed to had we all worked together to combat it

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  24. Booster not till December for me, but I look forward to another day off as I exaggerate the side effects to the max 🙂 I did have a headache after both previous jabs, sore arm and feeling a bit drained, but no more than a good old fashioned hangover. I guess I should get drunk after the booster to make the most of it 🙂

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  25. That penetrating cold… I had it after both the second and third doses. And I felt “off” for a day or two. Small price to pay, all told. I sure hope we are nearing the end of this siege, Pete. Stay well!

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  29. Our first two jabs were Pfizer and we get number 3 next week but I don’t know which – probably the same. I have had the flu jab and am going to get a shingles one as well. It is all getting rather ridiculous especially as I am having an eye test the following week.I bet that means an operation! It’s no fun getting old.

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    1. I am awaiting cataract surgery. It was first suggested in 2019, then all shelved because of Covid. I can’t have the shingles vaccination yet, as I am not old enough. But as I have had shingles twice before, I will certainly ask about it when I am eligible.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. I got a booster shot on Saturday. I’d had the J&J and I got Pfizer for the booster. Mostly my arm was just sore. I did get a chill briefly and was feeling a little tired Sunday afternoon, and I think a slight headache, but other than that I felt fine.

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  31. I had my third Covid vaccination yesterday along with a flu vaccination – one in each arm. I had to wait for 15 minutes but came prepared with my Kindle. My first two were Astra Zeneca and, like you, this one was Pfizer. The Covid arm is a wee bit sore, which didn’t happen last time, but other than that everything seems fine. I’m always tired anyway 🙂

    Although everyone refers to this as the ‘booster’ it isn’t. It’s the third Covid vaccination and the booster will be in six months. Even the nurse I saw called it a booster until i said, “It isn’t really is it?” She agreed it wasn’t and that the booster comes later. Maybe this is only in Scotland.

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    1. My nurse called it the booster too, but she did add that I would have to have another one next year sometime. I don’t have the flu jab, as I try to keep innoculations to a life-savibg minimum. But I may have to start thinking about it next year, when I am 70.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. I am 71 but still haven’t been offered a 3rd vaccination. It annoys me when government spokesmen infer we aren’t bothering to go for our 3rd one. My flu jab this week was really painful and knocked me out so I hope the Pfizer one won’t be worse than the AZ which just made me sleepy.

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        1. I am 69, Janet, and was offered the booster almost 6 months to the day after my second innoculation. Perhaps your health authority is low on stocks? I don’t have the Flu jab usually, but might take it next year when I am 70.
          Best wishes, Pete.

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  32. I haven’t had mine yet; still waiting to be invited; but I seem to have heard about a lot more side effects from the booster than I did from the first shots [am I alone in hating the colloquialism “jab”?]. It might have been better to stick to the same vaccine for the boosters, but I have to assume [charitably: I could easily be cynical 😉 ] that there is a functional reason for the difference. Cheers, Jon.

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  33. Phil had his booster, also Pfizer and didn’t expect any side effects as the Astro Zenneca hadn’t bothered him, but he was a little poorly for 2 days after a bit like yourself, all fine after so no long lasting effects.

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