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For those who did have symptoms, pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache and muscle pain — the majority of which were mild to moderate — were the most common among older adults in clinical trials for the Moderna, Pfizer and J&J vaccines.
A COVID-19 vaccine can cause mild side effects after the first or second dose. Pain and swelling where people got the shot is a common side effect. That area also may look reddish on white skin.
In larger COVID-19 vaccine studies, people below the age of 55 tended to have more reactions like fever, fatigue, headache, and muscle aches, and that may have to do with how vigorous the immune system is. As you get older, your immune system tends to quiet down a bit.
Older adults, who are at an increased risk for severe illness or death if they get COVID-19, should stay in close contact with their doctors and tell them about any changes in their health. After they get the COVID-19 vaccine, they should also let their doctor know about any side effects they experience.
A 2021 study of vaccine side effects published in JAMA found that younger adults were more likely to have adverse side effects than older adults.
As more COVID-19 vaccines become available in the U.S., Mayo Clinic has begun community vaccinations for older adults. Dr. Abinash Virk, an infectious diseases expert, explains why it's especially important that adults 80 and older are vaccinated for COVID-19.
We know the most about side effects following vaccination with the Pfizer and Moderna messenger RNA—or mRNA—vaccines. The most common side effect is soreness at the site of injection. Other side effects include fatigue, headache, muscle aches, chills, joint pain, and possibly some fever.