Know the difference between the AstraZeneca vaccine and others in terms of side effects?

You're not alone if you've been hearing more about vaccine side effects recently.

Many more GenXers have obtained their first dose of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine after the age limit for the vaccine was reduced from 55 to 40 in some provinces. People have been flooding social media with reports of non-serious side effects.

To be sure, the federal government divides recorded COVID-19 side effects into severe and non-serious adverse effects. An anaphylactic reaction or one of those unusual blood clots, for example, can be serious side effects. A general malaise that some people can experience after having the shot is a non-serious adverse reaction or typical side-effect.

Mary R. wrote to say she was hearing from a lot of people in their 40s and 50s who were sick after getting the AstraZeneca vaccine.

So, does AstraZeneca have more general side effects than Pfizer or Moderna?

No, that is not so!

In a recent interview, the National, infectious disease specialist Dr. Alex Wong said, "There's no evidence per se to support that AstraZeneca has any new or more serious side-effects than any of the mRNA vaccines."

According to the AstraZeneca product monograph, one out of every ten people will experience one or more of the following side effects:

• Scratching or pain around the injection site.
• Tired.
• Fever or a sensation of being feverish.
• Headache.
• Nausea is an issue.
• Muscle aches and pains in the joints.

These are similar to the ones that Pfizer, Moderna, and Janssen have published.

"Those normally go away after a few days," Wong said.

If you're experiencing these side effects, Wong recommends taking some Tylenol or ibuprofen to help them go away faster.