Covid vaccine, the immunologist: “Here are the possible reactions”

by time news

(time.news)

The reactions, adverse events and side effects of Covid vaccines administered in Italy can range from pain to swelling, from local redness to problems affecting the cardiovascular area. This was explained to time.news Salute by the immunologist Mauro Minelli, responsible for the South of the Italian Foundation for personalized medicine.


“Reactions that are absolutely possible occurrences and not only, of course, for anti-Covid vaccines. What we cannot know today are any long-term reactions, those that may occur in the months or years to come”, explains Minelli.

“However, we must also consider that the immunity offered by vaccines, both AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna, seems destined to diminish within 10-12 months, which could lead us to believe that there cannot be significant delayed critical effects related to this vaccination. As for the more immediate effects, which can result from the administration of the three vaccines currently in use in our country, these can be divided into ‘very common’, ‘common’ and ‘uncommon’ – underlines Minelli – and they range from pain in the affected part, to heat, itching, bruises at the injection site; and then chills, joint pain, local swelling and redness, fever above 38 degrees Celsius, general malaise with vomiting and diarrhea “.

“On the other hand, ‘uncommon’ effects are drowsiness, dizziness, decreased appetite, swollen lymph nodes, excessive sweating, urticarial rash. All, however, have a rather rapid resolution which, when not spontaneous, can be effectively achieved with the help of a few paracetamol tablets “.

“For the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines it should be emphasized that the adverse reactions are almost always of the ‘very common’ and ‘common’ type and are configured as swelling and pain at the injection site, muscle and joint pain, asthenia, drowsiness, headache. – Minelli observes – After the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, taste disturbances, paraesthesia and dizziness were also observed, while following the administration of Moderna vaccine, nausea and abdominal pains. In general all these effects are more frequent after the administration of the second dose “.

Finally, with reference to the Sputnik vaccine, the analyzes on general safety and adverse events “highlighted its good tolerability – concludes Minelli – In line with the expectations of the investigators, very mild and short-lasting simulating side effects were found. in particular, flu-like events with possible pain at the injection site. The data resulting from the first studies report few serious adverse events but only associated with already present comorbidities “.

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