WWYD re: 2nd Covid vax

[barnwife]

Someone I am generally in agreement RE: CV19 stuff and I had a discussion in which we came to very different decisions. So, of course, I am curious what the greater population would do...enter the Hive!

J. received the firsst dose of the Moderna vax. J. felt crummy for about 1 day and definitely had Covid arm. As the appt. for the 2nd dose approached, the muscle still felt off and the injection site still was itchy, though not constantly. So, knowing that the reaction to the 2nd dose is often stronger, WWYD?

Also, would this affect your decision about vaxxing your children under 12 when the time comes?
 

[Jaybee]

I voted to keep the appointment because that is my preference, but actually either one of the first two options would be reasonable to me, as long as the delay were not more than a few weeks.

[KSera]

Not a robust study, but might still be quite helpful in decision making: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/heal-the-mind-heal-the-body/202105/after-covid-vaccine-arm-my-first-shot-do-i-switch-arms

[Danae]

I would ask my doctor or a medical person at the site where I was getting vaccinated.

[HeartString]

I vote other.  I think they should call their doctor to get a medical opinion. 

If it were me, I would go get the shot in the other arm.

[SKL]

I voted other.  I think I would seek a different provider AND get my 2nd shot in my other arm.

Also, it is OK to wait a little longer for the 2nd shot.  Being not quite recovered from the 1st seems like a good reason.  But that could delay all sorts of other things the person may be looking forward to.  So maybe I'd just go for it.

[pinball]

Is the person biologically related to your kids? That would impact my decision with them

for the person who got first moderna...she has pretty high coverage with just one shot, close to the J&J one. So I’d either skip #2 OR get 2nd one in other arm

tough break, I’m sorry it happened to her.

[SKL]

As for my decisions re my hypothetical kids under 12, I would wait until the vax becomes available to them and start the whole analysis from scratch.  I probably would consider the possibility of "Covid arm" only if your "J" is biologically related to the kids, or if there is some reason to expect that side effect to be common in young kids.

[Spryte]

Talk to a doc if there are questions.  

And - most importantly - keep the appointment at the shot clinic.  Show up, talk to someone there.  If they feel it should be postponed, or if the doc said it should, they will schedule the next appointment at an appropriate time.

My money is where my mouth is, on this.  I was hospitalized between shots (not related to the shot), spoke to four docs about what to do for second shot.  One was a hospital internist who volunteers at a shot clinic. She was the one who said to show up and speak to someone.  Which is what I did.  They rescheduled my shot by a week, to give me more recovery time.  

For shot side effects, I’d probably switch arms and get it over with, honestly.

None of this would affect my decision re: kids.  That’s a different animal.

[Loowit]

I would get the second shot in the other arm and plan to have some time off, if possible, afterward to recuperate.  But I would also want to discuss it with either my doctor or the person who is knowledgeable about vaccines at the vaccine site beforehand to make sure it was okay.  When I talked to them about the ongoing tinnitus from my first shot, they were very helpful and took time to discuss it with me.  I chose to get it even with the risk of making things worse.

It would not effect my getting vaccines for my kids.  All of my kids are older, but I would want all of my children vaccinated, even younger ones, when it was possible.  Each of my kids has had very different reactions to the vaccine, and none have been very bad at all.  I was worried about youngest getting his vaccine because he has had severe reactions to a vaccine in the past, but after talking to his doctor and the pharmacist I felt comfortable(ish) letting him get it.

[hjffkj]

well as someone who had covid arm and muscle aches that got progressively worse and is not 3 weeks out from the first shot and still suffering I sought professional advice.  My symptoms are quite severe though but didn't get really bad until day 15 after getting the shot.  Dr told me not to get the 2nd shot.  Haven't decided if I'll try a different vaccine in the future or if my kids will get it.

[Pawz4me]

Unless the side effects you mention were significant (to me they sound more of a nuisance than truly a problem?) then I'd probably get the second shot w/o much concern. If I were concerned I'd either ping my PA and get her opinion, or I'd ask the provider wherever I got the second shot. I also don't think waiting another week or two would be a bad decision. It wouldn't affect my decision to have any younger children vaccinated, I don't think.

[Katy]

A stiff, sore, itchy, or “off” arm is not a serious reaction. It likely means they need to exercise that arm more. Feeling crummy from the first shot likely means they already had covid & will have less reaction to the second shot. They should get the second shot.

Stories of mild reactions that are FAR less severe than mild Covid and the chances of long term heart and lung damage will definitely NOT change when we will get our little kids vaccinated. 

[Syllieann]

I'd still get 2nd but stay for 30 minutes observation instead of 15.  It would not affect my decision on children since it 's modern a and not Pfizer anyway.  FWIW, my mom had covid arm from the first shot and no side effects at all from the second.  Around 2 dozen of her closest blood relatives were vaccinated with a mix of Pfizer and Moderna with no other incidence of covid arm of rash.

[prairiewindmomma]

Agreeing with Katy—likely had prior covid and that caused the reaction. We get “covid arm” from influenza shots. It is not considered a serious reaction. It is considered a robust immunoresponse. That is good. You want your body to recognize a vaccine. I would be at peace with getting the second shot, and I wouldn’t automatically assume there will be the same reaction. 
 

be sure to have your kid drink plenty of water and move the arm a lot. I had my kids digging up bushes in the garden. 🙂 

[Drama Llama]

2 hours ago, barnwife said:

Someone I am generally in agreement RE: CV19 stuff and I had a discussion in which we came to very different decisions. So, of course, I am curious what the greater population would do...enter the Hive!

J. received the firsst dose of the Moderna vax. J. felt crummy for about 1 day and definitely had Covid arm. As the appt. for the 2nd dose approached, the muscle still felt off and the injection site still was itchy, though not constantly. So, knowing that the reaction to the 2nd dose is often stronger, WWYD?

Also, would this affect your decision about vaxxing your children under 12 when the time comes?
 

I'd get my second dose in the other arm.  

[Rebel]

I voted other for the same reason as those mentioned above.  It is fine to delay the shot for a week or two while the person sees a doctor.