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To ask if this is true (vaccine related)

100 replies

crochetmonkey74 · 06/03/2021 08:35

I had my covid vaccine last week with mild side effects, I know several people who have now had it, with a range of severity of the side effects. A friend said she heard that the severity of side effects mirrors how badly you would have had covid , had you caught it. I've tried to Google this but no luck and although I understand how vaccines work, I don't have a good enough understanding of them to work out if this can logically be true. Is this right?

OP posts:
DIshedUp · 06/03/2021 10:12

Also even though I felt crap with my vaccine I will still be getting the second one because honestly its just feeling crap. I'm not going to come to any harm by being fluey for a day or two. Although you feel like crap its really nothing to being hospitalised

crochetmonkey74 · 06/03/2021 10:18

mainsfed
That's unfair, it was 2 friends chatting and she said she'd heard it, but also wasnt sure.

OP posts:
bruffin · 06/03/2021 10:31

Op ignore Mansfred
From ZOE

"Vaccine after effects more common in those who already had COVID
February 4, 2021

According to the latest data from the ZOE COVID Symptom Study people who have had a previous COVID-19 infection are almost twice as likely to experience one or more mild whole body (systemic) after effects compared to people who didn’t have COVID-19 (33% vs 19%) from a Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine dose. The most common mild whole body (systemic) after effects experienced were fatigue (9%), headache (8%) and chills or shivers (4%). Most mild whole body (systemic) after effects appeared in the first two days after the vaccination and only 3% of people have any after effects beyond three days.

COVID-19 vaccines work by using a harmless version or component of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus to train the immune system, so when the virus is encountered the body is able to fight it off. This ‘training’ response can feel like some of the symptoms when the body is fighting off a real infection, including headaches, fever, chills or shivers, tiredness (fatigue), muscle or joint pains, diarrhoea and feeling sick (nausea). A stronger response may indicate evidence of an increased immune response.‍

‍Summary of findings:

A third (33%) of those who had previously had COVID-19 reported at least one whole body (systemic) after effect after 7 days compared to 19% of who had not previously had COVID-19
37% of people experienced some local after effects such as pain or swelling near the site of the injection after first dose and 45% after the second dose
14% of people reported at least one whole body (systemic) after effect within the 7 days from the first dose compared to 22% from the second dose, possibly indicating a stronger immune response after the second dose.
13% of vaccinated men and 19% of vaccinated women reported at least one whole body (systemic) after effect within seven days
Under 55s more likely to experience whole body after effects than those over 55s (21% vs 14%)
280,000 people have already logged their vaccine experience on the app
The data comes from a sub-sample of almost 40,000 vaccine doses, all first doses were administered before 4 January 2021 and logged in the ZOE COVID Symptom Study app. This is a subset of over 280,000 people, one of the largest vaccine datasets outside the trial settings where participants are carefully selected. Contributors logged any local after effects (in the arm) for seven days and logged systemic (whole body) after effects continuously after receiving the vaccine. This current data is for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and most of those analysed were healthcare workers.

The ZOE app also asked over one million contributors whether or not they want to receive a vaccine and if not, why. Whilst almost 95% said ‘yes’, just over 5% of respondents were either reported being unsure or unwilling to accept a vaccine. The main three reasons given by hesitant contributors were; long term side effects (50.2%), lack of knowledge (37.2%), and concerns about potential adverse reactions (30.9%).

Tim Spector OBE, lead scientist on the ZOE COVID Symptom Study app and Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King’s College London, comments on vaccine data:
“This data set is a unique look at those who have been vaccinated in the real world outside trials, and so far the post vaccine effects we see are mild and in the minority of people. It’s interesting to see that those with previous COVID are more likely to experience these mild after effects than naive subjects. This could be good news, as a larger response like this suggests that those getting a first dose after having had COVID are generating a stronger immune reaction and may get greater protection from just a single shot of the vaccine. We are urging as many people as possible to download the ZOE app and log their vaccines with us, so that we can independently monitor how we all react differently and how the vaccines impact the overall pandemic.”

PurpleWh1teGreen · 06/03/2021 10:31

OP, if 74 refers to your DOB then you are under 50, so will either have had your vaccine because you have been identified as clinically being at additional risk, as a carer for someone who is at risk or as a health or social care worker.

There has been some good, accurate information shared on this thread. Come back to it if your friend says anything else, and please do go for your second vaccine.

GreenLeafTurnip · 06/03/2021 10:34

I believe the severity of covid is highly linked to viral load. So if you are exposed to a lot of the virus for an extended period of time, you are more likely to suffer more than if you have less exposure. But of course it's also linked to your own immune system so I think that what your friend said is impossible to know.

SignsofSpring · 06/03/2021 10:35

Whilst your original post isn't quite correct, there are lots of people on this thread denying science with anecdata! Overall, people who have had covid do report worse side effects, and there was an interesting study, can't remember if it came out of Israel showing a big boost immune wise (more pronounced) for those who had already had covid when they had the vaccine- in other words it was almost acting like the second dose if you hadn't had covid.

crochetmonkey74 · 06/03/2021 10:36

To be clear, this was a thread started just out of interest, I've never said im not going for my 2nd vaccine, and my side effects were very very mild. It was just a thread started to discuss something I couldnt find the answers for.

OP posts:
omg35 · 06/03/2021 10:36

My friend had asymptomatic covid earlier in the pandemic (she got an antibody test as part of her job) and she really suffered after the vaccine so I reckon no correlation

PerveenMistry · 06/03/2021 10:53

It's not true.

A reaction is a sign that your immune system is working really well.

People really need to stop passing along ignorant misinformation about vaccines, which are our only path back to a reasonably normal life and economy.

giletrouge · 06/03/2021 10:54

@crochetmonkey74

To be clear, this was a thread started just out of interest, I've never said im not going for my 2nd vaccine, and my side effects were very very mild. It was just a thread started to discuss something I couldnt find the answers for.
It was clear. But people love to generate a bit of hysteria because they think someone has said this or that and can't be bothered to READ POSTS PROPERLY. Grin
crochetmonkey74 · 06/03/2021 10:58

giletrouge agreed!

OP posts:
crochetmonkey74 · 06/03/2021 10:59

perveen no ignorant misinformation here, just 2 friends discussing something they heard and weren't sure about

OP posts:
LeSquigh · 06/03/2021 11:05

There seems to be a wide variation in effects of COVID and side effects of vaccine. To add to the record I had COVID very mildly, felt “under the weather” for a few days then lost my sense of taste and smell and because of this tested and was positive. I had my first vaccine exactly 28 days after testing positive and had very mild side effects, compared to some of my colleagues who were very unwell. I am in my early 40s.

HazeyJaneII · 06/03/2021 11:14

@WeatherwaxLives

I thought more severe side effects meant you've had a greater immune response to the vaccine (to make antibodies). So the worse the side effects the better it has worked?
This is not true.
mainsfed · 06/03/2021 11:16

@crochetmonkey74

To be clear, this was a thread started just out of interest, I've never said im not going for my 2nd vaccine, and my side effects were very very mild. It was just a thread started to discuss something I couldnt find the answers for.
So why post in AIBU then? Why not post in the relevant topic - coronavirus.
RainingBatsAndFrogs · 06/03/2021 11:16

@crochetmonkey74

perveen no ignorant misinformation here, just 2 friends discussing something they heard and weren't sure about
True - but it shows how much misinformation is flying about. Hopefully threads like this can help dispel the rumours and groundless speculation.
NoseOfJericho · 06/03/2021 11:29

@ijokeijoke

My friend told me that if you react badly to the vaccine, it means you have already had covid. 🤷🏼‍♀️ who knows
My neighbour had covid and has had no reaction to the vaccine.
SomeDyke · 06/03/2021 11:35

It depresses me, the lack of critical thinking in so much of the population. First you have a 'hypothesis' that could never be tested, so asking if it is true is nonsense. Why might someone say this? Because the only use I can see is someone who reacts badly to the vaccine, so you tell them it means they would have had it really bad if they'd caught the infection, so still better than covid.

LouMumsnet · 06/03/2021 11:36

Thanks for the reports - we've moved this over to the Coronavirus topic now.

murbblurb · 06/03/2021 11:36

statements that include the words 'I heard' are almost always babble.

LouLou789 · 06/03/2021 11:45

I had the AZ jab yesterday and the guidance sheet given to me stated that side effects tend to be milder in older people. I presume this is because younger people have stronger immune systems. I know that a different flu vaccine is given to those over 65 that includes an extra ingredient to stimulate the person’s immune response.

I’m 60 and had fluey aches and pains yesterday, more or less slept it off last night.

SimonJT · 06/03/2021 11:48

I had covid and ended up in hospital, the only thing my vaccine caused was a mildly sore injection site.

My partner has covid and had a runny nose and a slight fever, the vaccine gave him aches, chills, a high fever and he was very tired.

zzzooomwatcher · 06/03/2021 11:49

@omg35

My friend had asymptomatic covid earlier in the pandemic (she got an antibody test as part of her job) and she really suffered after the vaccine so I reckon no correlation
Wow really scientific test you conducted there
crochetmonkey74 · 06/03/2021 12:13

Good lord some people are so hostile on here to people who just want to chat. Literally no one on this thread has exhibited worrying or extreme anti vaccine ideas. This site is meant to be for people to talk and reach out and explore ideas.

OP posts:
DenisetheMenace · 06/03/2021 12:16

Interesting question.

As I understand it from listening to coverage though, the reaction is thought to be an indication of how well your immune system is responding. Ie: bad reaction=very strong immune response.

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