Side effects of the second dose of vaccine

Healthcare workers are uploading video content sharing their experience on the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, in addition to the first dose. Most of them are medical workers that have received their second Pfizer dose after getting their first shot three or four weeks earlier. Many said that the side effects were more intense, but endurable. 　

“I had mixed feelings at the first dose- fear, concerns and expectations. Afterwards my arm got a bit swollen but that was it. At the second time, I had chills, fever and sore muscles, but I quickly recovered after a day,” ” said Park Ji-woo, a paramedic at Hanyang University Hospital. “I was able to treat patients with more confidence after getting the shots. Don’t be too worried and I encourage you to get vaccinated.”

“I experienced fever and vomiting after getting the second dose, but quickly recovered. I hope that more people will get vaccinated and become free from COVID-19,” said Resident Jeong Seung-gyo of Emergency Medical and Health Services at Hanyang University Hospital. “When I got the first shot, I had a slight fever, but I experienced severe chills, sweat and sore muscles,” said Park Hyo-jeong, a nurse at the ICU of the Internal Medicine Department at the Jeonbuk University Hospital. “After a day, I returned to normal. The side effects do not last that long, so I encourage everyone to get shots and help root out COVID-19.”

Lee Jin-kyung and Lim Il-han, medical doctors of the Laboratory Medicine at the Korea Cancer Center, shared videos of receiving both first and second doses. Lee said she did not experience any side effects after getting the second dose. Lim said she felt like she had the flu and kept extra warm at night, and felt much better afterwards.


Jin-Han Lee likeday@donga.com