Coronavirus vaccine trial participants report day-long exhaustion, fever and headaches -- but say it'

[TomCADem]

Source: CNBC

Luke Hutchison woke up in the middle of the night with chills and a fever after taking the Covid-19 booster shot in Moderna’s vaccine trial. Another coronavirus vaccine trial participant, testing Pfizer’s candidate, similarly woke up with chills, shaking so hard he cracked a tooth after taking the second dose.

High fever, body aches, bad headaches and exhaustion are just some of the symptoms five participants in two of the leading coronavirus vaccine trials say they felt after receiving the shots.

In interviews, all five participants — three in Moderna’s study and two in Pfizer’s late-stage trials — said they think the discomfort is worth it to protect themselves against the coronavirus. Four of them asked not to be identified, but CNBC reviewed documentation that verified their participation in the trials.

While the symptoms were uncomfortable, and at times intense, they often went away after a day, sometimes sooner, according to three participants in the Moderna trial and one in Pfizer’s as well as a person close to another participant in Moderna’s trial.


Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/01/coronavirus-vaccine-trial-participants-exhaustion-fever-headaches.html

---

Well, the vaccine better be damn effective with those side effects. Given that most experts and even the drug companies themselves are saying that spring of 2021 is the earliest that a vaccine would be approved and widely available, I am going to go with that, rather than relying on Captain Clorox.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/04/most-people-likely-wont-get-a-coronavirus-vaccine-until-the-middle-of-2021.html

Most people likely won’t get a coronavirus vaccine until the middle of 2021

Most Americans likely won’t get immunized with a coronavirus vaccine until the middle of next year, U.S. officials and public health experts say, even as the federal government asks states to prepare to distribute a vaccine as soon as November.

U.S. health officials expect to know whether at least one of the three potential vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer and AstraZeneca in late-stage testing works by the end of the year or sooner. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said Thursday the company could have results from its late-stage coronavirus vaccine trial as early as October.

Whichever vaccine wins regulatory authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, it will likely be in short supply once it’s cleared for public distribution, officials and experts warn. The vaccine will likely require two doses at varying intervals, and states still face logistical challenges such as setting up distribution sites and acquiring enough needles, syringes and bottles needed for immunizations.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently asking states to expedite the approval process for medical supply company McKesson so it can set up coronavirus vaccination sites across the U.S. by Nov. 1. The agency said states may need to waive some licensing and permit requirements that could bog down the process.

[efhmc]

1. Captain Clorox.

[droidamus2]

2. Interesing but...

I would be interested to know the age and health history of those taking part in the trial. If you are young and healthy putting up with a day or less of fairly bad symptoms might seem that bad but what about the older people that may be immumo-challenged or have other conditions that would be exacerbated by taking a vaccine with those side effects. Sounds to me like they may be rushing some potential vaccines and as with a lot of the pharmaceuticals these days they are willing to accept a lot of side effects.

[former9thward]

27. That would be an argument against taking the flu shot.

Many people have side effects worse than described in the OP when they take the flu shot.

[droidamus2]

40. Maybe

Maybe but the flu vaccines, yes I know it is a different version each, have been around long enough and they have a good enough handle on what to expect. Also the seasonal flu is nowhere near as lethal as Covid. A question would be since Covid is a stronger virus are the side effects from the vaccine also worse?

[I_UndergroundPanther]

3. I got a flu shot

And the 23 strain Pnumonia shot in the same arm.

Got chills exhaustion ,body aches that were pretty intense and a low fever for two days. My arm was really sore got swollen and was red for 4 days,it looked like cellulitis but it wasen't.

Never had that kind of reaction to vaccines like that before.

[LisaL]

4. Yep, I don't see may people wanting to deal with these type of side effects unless vaccine is

highly effective.
For instance flu vaccine hovers under 50% of being effective most years, and you have to get it every year.
How long would immunity from covid vaccine last? Nobody knows.

[LizBeth]

9. +1

[Historic NY]

5. Some reactions similar to the flu shots....

the pain in the arm is mostly because of the injection. I had a flu shot last yr with that pain that went on for over a week. *I end up with 2 shot last yr because they forget I had one 6 mons earlier.

Depending on how run down a person is also contributes to some reactions.

I just hope whatever they come up with works....

Nothing here says that, yet

[not_the_one]

6. I will continue to mask and socially distance until the guinea pigs

have had more than enough time to show its effectiveness.

Don't open up the economy prematurely on my behalf...

[Bayard]

7. Yeah...... I don't think so.

Especially since they're not going to know what the long term effects are going to be for quite awhile.

[a la izquierda]

8. As others have said, some folks- myself included- get similar symptoms with flu shots.

I got my flu shot already, and while it felt like icy acid being injected into my arm, I had no symptoms this year. In years past, I've run low-grade fevers and generally felt pretty crappy after getting a flu shot.
Hell, if 24 hours of feeling like crap are the only side effects, and if the vaccine is effective even for the length of a typical flu season, I'd take it. I'd like to be able to hug my parents and friends again, for god's sake.

[dalton99a]

10. Accept no Trump-approved medication.

[EndlessWire]

11. Shaking so hard that you crack a tooth

is not an acceptable side effect. Something's wrong with that. Plus, we aren't being told what the blood results are post these episodes.

Nope. Not gonna happen with me until I see a history of success. Guess I won't get that "666" tat that shows I got the shot.

[LisaM]

19. Yeah, that caught my attention, too.

Maybe the doses are too high, but that sounds nasty (and expensive to fix, unless the drug company is paying for it).

[LisaL]

23. That reaction was after participant got the second dose of the vaccine.

Sounds like immune system started mounting a strong response to the second dose, causing a flu like or covid like symptoms.
So what happens with the third dose (actual virus)?

[DeminPennswoods]

29. There isn't a 3rd dose

The Moderna candidate is 2 doses 1 month apart. Not sure if the Pfizer candidate is 1 or 2 doses. I think the J&J candidate is only 1 dose.

[LisaL]

30. I know. By third dose I mean what happens when they are exposed to actual virus?

NT

[ihas2stinkyfeet]

25. as someone who once had a job doing fracture analysis, i can tell you that tooth was already cracked

that's how things fail. it starts w a small imperfection, and the failure grows a little each time it is stressed. it really is like straws on a camels back.
healthy teeth dont fail, all at once, from the pressure available from the human jaw. takes a serious blow.

[EndlessWire]

28. I disagree.

My stepfather sucker punched me on the right side of my head, but it was the left side of my bottom tooth that chipped off. It did not receive a direct blow. I think the vibrations did it. My tooth was not previously cracked.

[ihas2stinkyfeet]

38. that was a blow hard enough.

and it could have had the beginning of a crack under the surface.
eta, it probably did. your whole face took the blow. all your teeth. the loose bit gave.

[rainin]

12. These trials are in otherwise healthy adults. It doesn't sound safe for me!

[rainin]

13. A partially protective vaccine gives people a false sense of security.

People will believe they're protected and venture out. Many of them will get sick and some of those will die. Without widespread mask use, we can't really be safe to reopen.

[TomCADem]

17. Are Any Vaccines 100 Percent Effective?

Even a widely used 50 percent plus vaccine could with social distancing would be enough to prevent the spread the spread of COVID-19 and end the pandemic. The problem you have with COVID-19 is that it is highly contagious, but even a partially protective vaccine would help prevent exponential growth:

[rainin]

31. Head of CDC says masks are better than vaccine at preventing spread of COVID19

This doesn't even take into account the following problems: Flu vaccines have widespread acceptance. The flu is less contagious. The COVID19 vaccine may be available for some and not for others. There is more distrust of a COVID vaccine than the flu vaccine. Spotty coverage means risk. Masks are visible. You can see if people are taking steps to keep you safe. You have no idea how many people in your congregation, at your workplace, at the sporting event, the wedding, the funeral are actually vaccinated. Yet, the presumption of safety (prematurely) can lure people out into the open and increase their risk of contracting the disease.


https://6abc.com/masks-wear-a-mask-spread-of-covid-19-vaccine/6426333/

[TomCADem]

32. How Does It Prevent The Spread When People Refuse to Wear Them?

This is a false dichotomy. There are going to be idiots who refuse to wears masks or take a proven vaccine. The idiot factor is increased when you have a President who spews BS 24/7. So, the only way to fight the virus is to use what is scientifically proven as effective. If a vaccine is tested and proven to be safe and effective in 2021, I would take it, and would continue to wear a mask until the COVID numbers start to go down significantly.

[rainin]

37. I can see that you aren't masked. I can't see you're unvaccinated

[LiberalFighter]

14. I'm not about to take that vaccine with those side effects.

[beachbumbob]

15. short term side effect from any vaccinne is more normal than not, so this in and of itself

is a non-starter

[Backseat Driver]

16. Hmmm...1st shot - nada; 2nd booster - reactions as reported above;

3rd "real" exposure to SARS-CoV2 - Guillane-Barre syndrome or analphalaxis?

Exposure, dose or viral load dependent? I believe I did read the vaccine was not a "live" one and, technically, not "live" until it invades a human cell. Who knows if this "novel" virus vaccine be recommended for minors, risk-prone adults at the end of trials. While those symptoms were reported as fading, they still seem very unacceptably uncomfortable and perhaps even dangerous!

Notice the Federal Register request for comments here: https://www.hrsa.gov/vaccine-compensation/index.html

Per Wikipedia: "Six vaccines (MMR, varicella, influenza, hepatitis B, tetanus, meningococcal) are recognized as a cause for anaphylaxis, and HPV may cause anaphylaxis as well.[25] Citation: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK190024/

[LisaL]

21. I also find it troubling that the second dose gets a bigger reaction.

It's not a live virus vaccine. They are not using virus, only RNA which is message to produce spike proteins.
So what's causing a second dose reaction and what will happen upon exposure to the actual virus?

[PSPS]

18. Pass. I'll wait for something both safe and effective. This is just another "close enough" failure

First, nothing "approved" by any agency run by a ring kissing sycophant can be trusted. Second, the bottomless pot of gold payoff awaiting the drug companies rushing to please dear leader's reelection is too tempting to avoid "close enough" corner cutting.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently asking states to expedite the approval process for medical supply company McKesson so it can set up coronavirus vaccination sites across the U.S. by Nov. 1. The agency said states may need to waive some licensing and permit requirements that could bog down the process.

Yeah, whatever. PASS.

[SunSeeker]

20. WTF. Shaking so hard you crack a tooth? How is that vaccine considered "safe"?

[AKing]

22. I Trust in Dr Fauci and his medical expertise. I've already postponed my flu vaccine shot...

until mid October based on his advice that it will protect me further into the flu season.

[marie999]

24. I got my flu vaccine at the VA clinic last week.

Great nurse, I did not even feel the needle. I didn't even know she had given me the shot until she put the bandage on my arm. I get a flu shot every year and the pneumonia shot every 5 years. I have never had a reaction to either of them. Lucky I guess. The shingles shots did hurt.

[Hekate]

26. For historical perspective, go back 104 years to the WW I Tetanus vaccine...

A few years ago I read several autobiographies of nurses who served in WW I. One account featured the number of soldiers who died in agony of tetanus, contracted when they were wounded in “the well-manured fields of Belgium.” The only help was morphine.

The nurses were offered vaccinations at one point, and the author said yes. She ended up in bed for two weeks with high fever and painful muscle spasms. It was extremely rugged, but she was immune at the end.

Fast forward 50 years to my own childhood tetanus vaccinations, which were entirely routine by then. I remember that my arm was very sore for several days — only the arm, and no high fever.

This is early days for COVID 19 immunization studies, and the US is behind other nations because Dear Leader is a jerk. What these brave souls are experiencing may just be consequent to being in the early trials, and it is to be hoped that subsequent trials will be effective while being gentler on the system. I truly hope this works out for them and for the rest of us. All I know is that I do not trust Trump, and I won’t be first in line for a vaccine produced under his aegis.

[h2ebits]

35. Personal history of tetanus toxoid

I received a tetanus booster shot when I was a preteen. I ran a high fever and my arm swelled up. In my mid 20's, I was reupholstering a chair and managed to hammer an upholstery tack--sharp little devils--through part of one finger. I told the doctor of my prior experience and he told me that frequently, people with a reaction appeared to react to the horse serum portion of the shot. To be safe, he injected me with only 1/10th of a dose (minus the horse serum portion) and said that we would see how that went and then increase the amount for several more visits, monitoring after each one until I had received the full dose. The first 1/10 of a dose gave me a low grade fever, a welt the size of a silver dollar on my arm, and a very sore arm that lasted for a week.

The Dr. told me he wasn't going to proceed further because I was clearly highly allergic to tetanus. I'm 72 and have not had any further tetanus booster shots regardless of recommendations for them in the literature.

My point is that anecdotal information is just that. . . .anecdotal.

While I hope that we can develop a vaccine; I also will certainly NOT be standing in line to get the shot.

[Zeus69]

33. I felt like crap after my Shingrix shot(s)

Two doses.
Fever/chills/aches/headache for 24 hours starting morning after first shot.
Second shot several months later not quite as bad but still stayed home and in bed.
100% worth the side effects to NOT get shingles (90+% effective).

[Texin]

34. I get flu shots each year and have never had a reaction -- until this year.

Up until this year, I always got the regular vaccine designed for what flu strain(s) are circulating (or predicted to be circulating). This year, I was administered the high dose/multi-strain vaccine for people 65 or over, or for those with highly vulnerable immune systems. Within about three hours I started feeling a bit woozy and very, very tired. I just took it easy for the remainder of the day and into the evening and I woke up the next day with no lingering systems, except for a pretty sore upper arm at the injection site, but it diminished within 24 hours, and actually seemed less painful from others I had in years before.

I'd be somewhat panicky if I actually woke up after having the Covid vaccine with fever, chills and muscle pains. I'm pretty sure I'd be scared to death that I'd contracted the infection from it.

[Sancho]

36. ...out of how many? We don't know...

I always get the flu shot, and also have had shingles, pneumonia, etc. On a few occasions I've had some side effects like a fever or headache. It almost seems random when I have some side effect.

If those side effects are 5 people out of 30,000, that's probably a warning on the label. If it is 90% of the recipients, it may be more serious.

Over time the dosage, number of boosters, etc. will determine the best course that is effective.

(My parents were in a trial for one of the first birth control pills. It wasn't completely effective, and here I am!!)

[The Magistrate]

39. It Would Be Nice To Know How Many Participate In The Study, Sir

Three in ten thousand is not too similar to three in one hundred.