Coronavirus vaccination: Does having no vaccine side effect indicate lower protection against COVID-19?

Amid new emerging variants, including the most deadly Delta variant, coronavirus vaccination has become the need of the hour. While the discussion around the effectiveness of vaccine-induced immunity has remained the talk of the town, many wonder whether the protection acquired from the COVID vaccine is just limited to people who develop certain side effects.

Side effects from a coronavirus vaccination is common. Fever, fatigue, pain at the injection site are some of the most prevalent side effects, which point to an immune response. However, there are people who may experience absolutely nothing. This has left people more intrigued than ever and led people to ask several questions pertaining to whether or not COVID vaccine side effects determine the level of protection you have against the virus.

People who receive their COVID shot may be prone to side effects that are mild. Having side effects does not mean that you're developing an infection, rather it indicates that your body's immune system has begun to recognize the pathogen, or in case of COVID-19 vaccine, a fragment resembling the actual spike protein of SARs-COV-2 virus and started to produce antibodies to fight these viral particles.

Now while all this is happening, there may be a series of inflammatory reactions which lead to side effects and in certain cases adverse reactions. Due to the immune response and the side effects experienced, the body successfully remembers the infectious strain in the future and in turn protects you from a real infection.

Read more: Active vs Passive immunity: What is the difference between COVID immunity

The number and kind of side effects a person experiences may vary. However, some of the most common side effects are fever, fatigue, nausea, body ache, itchiness, redness, pain and swelling at the site of the injection.

Most symptoms are mild and remain for a day or two at the most. There is no reason to panic and in case of high fever and joint pain, pain relieving medication can help. In case the side effects do not fade, consult your doctor.

Read more: COVID symptoms vs. vaccine side effects: How to tell the difference?

Developing side effects after a COVID-19 vaccination is not mandatory. While experiencing side effects indicate an immune response, having minimal or no side effects does not depict otherwise.

Our immune system is what protects us from deadly diseases, however, the way it is built may differ from person to person. While some have a healthy immunity and a stronger natural defence, there are those who are immunocompromised and have a weaker immunity. This is why some develop side effects, while others don't. But this according to experts has no correlation with vaccine-induced immunity.

Side effects or no side effects, COVID vaccines have proved efficacious and effective against the SARs-COV-2 virus.

Many individuals who have received their jabs have experienced mild to no side effects. Side effects from COVID vaccination indicate an immune response, however, those who do not develop any kind of reaction to the vaccine shot are intrigued and wonder whether they're well protected against the virus or not.

To answer that, studies have been conducted and experts believe that vaccine side effects only point to an immune response, which means it has no link to the level of immunity induced by the vaccine. Even in a leading study, it was found that about 73% of people enrolled in early clinical coronavirus vaccine trials did not experience any side-effects but still had a sufficient amount of antibodies post-vaccination.

A Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine trial also found that 50% of the participants did not experience significant side-effects during the trial, yet 90% of the participants developed immunity against the virus, as per reports. This only indicates that vaccine side effects have no possible correlation with how well a person is protected after vaccination.

Read more: Coronavirus: How long would immunity from COVID-19 vaccines last?

As of now, antibody tests are seen to be one of the most effective ways to determine the level of antibodies you have in your body. With rising cases of breakthrough infections and the fear around reinfection, many people have taken the antibody tests. However, it is important to note that antibody tests alone cannot help you determine the right number of antibodies you have in your body. Experts have also claimed that antibodies can miss counting vaccine-induced antibodies and may not be effective enough to provide an accurate measure.

That said, those with a weaker immune system may not develop sufficient antibodies, but still may showcase enough protection against the virus.