ing of the vaccine. However, a recent study suggests that these symptoms actually indicate a strong immune response that can reduce the risk of infection.
Less than 25% of the population in the United States have been vaccinated with the updated COVID-19 vaccine, despite the fact that more than 23,000 Americans have died from the virus this year.
One of the most common reasons for bypassing the COVID vaccine is concern about side effects like tiredness, muscle and joint pain, chills, headache, fever, nausea and feeling generally unwell. But a new study has found that the symptoms indicate a robust immune response that is likely to lessen the chances of infection.
A recent study led by UC San Francisco has found that the common side effects of COVID-19 vaccines, such as tiredness, muscle and joint pain, chills, headache, fever, nausea, and feeling unwell, actually indicate a strong immune response that can reduce the risk of infection. The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine on June 10, analyzed symptom reports and antibody responses from 363 individuals who received the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna mRNA vaccines when they were first rolled out. Following the second vaccine dose, the researchers discovered that those who experienced seven or more symptoms had almost double the levels of antibodies compared to those who had fewer symptoms.
Many participants in the study did not show any symptoms, and most of them were in their forties to sixties and had not previously been infected with the virus.
Around 40% of the study’s participants also used a device to track their temperature, breathing, and heart rate. The researchers discovered that those whose skin temperature increased by 1 degree Celsius after the second dose had three times the antibody levels six months later compared to those whose temperature did not increase.
Just because there are no side effects doesn’t necessarily mean the vaccine isn’t effective
“In general, we found that the higher the number of side effects, the higher the level of antibodies,” the lead researcher stated.Author Ethan Dutcher, MD, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and the Weill Institute for Neurosciences, explained that not everyone who experienced side effects from the vaccine necessarily had better antibodies than those who did not. As the virus continues to evolve and fatality rates decrease, many people are not fully recognizing its impact. Co-senior author Elissa Epel, PhD, a vice chair in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, emphasized that COVID still takes a heavy toll on some individuals, leading to sickness, lost work, lasting fatigue, and the dreaded long COVID.The potential complications of COVID-19 can be severe, so it’s crucial to recognize that vaccines offer protection against these risks,” she explained.
“As COVID-19 vaccines become more common, it will be important to understand what factors contribute to a strong antibody response,” said Aric Prather, PhD, a professor at the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and co-senior author of the study.
According to the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, everyone aged 6 months and older should receive the updated vaccine, and individuals aged 65 and above should get an additional dose.
Co-Authors: The authors of this article are Ashley Mason, PhD, and Frederick Hecht, MD, from UCSF, James E. Robinson, MD, from Tulane University, and Stacy Drury, MD, PhD, from Tulane University and Boston Children’s Hospital.
Funding: This research was funded by the National Institutes of Health (R24AG048024, 5U24AG066528, and U54CA260581).
Disclosures: Epel serves on the scientific advisory boards of Meru Health and Oura Health. Mason has received consultancy fees from Oura Health. Prather is an advisor to NeuroGeneces and L-New Co.
