COVID Vaccines: what to expect?
In the U.S., the Pfizer vaccine is suspected to get FDA approval on the evening of December 11th. Once that occurs, vaccine administration will begin across the country within a few days. What can we expect in the coming weeks and months, and how will vaccine distribution work?
Dosing
Most Common Side Effects:
These are common side effects reported by participants in the Pfizer vaccine trial. Most symptoms had a median onset of 0-2 days after dosing and lasted a median of 1-2 days. Data is cited from the FDA Pfizer Committee Document.
The data below shows the difference between the side effects reported for the vaccine and placebo groups for Dose 1 and 2.
Injection Site Pain:
Dose 1: reported in 88.1% vs. 14.0% of participants (Vaccine vs. Placebo)
Dose 2: reported in 77.8% vs. 11.7% of participants (Vaccine vs. Placebo)
Mild Fever:
Dose 1: reported in 3.7% vs. 0.9% of participants (Vaccine vs. Placebo)
Dose 2: reported in 15.8% vs. 0.5% of participants (Vaccine vs. Placebo)
Fatigue:
Dose 1: reported in 47.4% vs. 33.4% of participants (Vaccine vs. Placebo)
Dose 2: reported in 59.4% vs. 22.8% of participants (Vaccine vs. Placebo)
Headache:
Dose 1: reported in 41.9% vs. 33.7% of participants (Vaccine vs. Placebo)
Dose 2: reported in 51.7% vs. 24.1% of participants (Vaccine vs. Placebo)
Chills:
Dose 1: reported in 14.0% vs. 6.4% of participants (Vaccine vs. Placebo)
Dose 2: reported in 35.1% vs. 3.8% of participants (Vaccine vs. Placebo)
New/Worsened Muscle Pain:
Dose 1: reported in 21.3% vs. 10.8% of participants (Vaccine vs. Placebo)
Dose 2: reported in 37.3% vs. 8.2% of participants (Vaccine vs. Placebo)
Timeline
The NYT published an interactive timeline estimating when people may receive the vaccine based on region, profession, age group, and risk factors. The CDC recommendations for distribution and state governments will ultimately determine how the vaccines are allocated.
This was so helpful!!