How to differentiate between COVID symptoms and vaccine side effects
The SARS-COV-2 virus is known to have impacted the lives of many. It can affect a person with mild to moderate infections and in some people may even trigger severe illnesses.
In an attempt to slow down infection rates and to prevent people from contracting severe symptoms, COVID vaccines play a crucial role. However, COVID vaccines can lead to certain side-effects that may hold a likeness to coronavirus symptoms. So how do you tell them apart?
Coronavirus infection can range from mild, moderate to severe illnesses
As is known, COVID-19 can cause mild to moderate infections and may even lead to severe illnesses with increased risk of hospitalization. However, there may be some who remain asymptomatic but can be potential carriers.
From fever, fatigue, muscle ache to loss of sense of smell and taste, many common COVID symptoms have come to the surface.
Getting your COVID vaccine is important, but you may experience side-effects
As important as it is to get your COVID vaccines, it is as crucial to know how to manage the various side effects. Given the rise in the number of Delta variant cases and the lurking dangers of a possible third wave, it is extremely important to get yourselves vaccinated. However, you must learn to deal with post-vaccination side effects.
Vaccine-induced side-effects are mild and usually lead to no physical complications.
Most common side effects experienced by most people are fever, chills, fatigue, malaise, joint pain, headache and in some cases, there are chances of adverse reactions.
COVID vaccine side effects may mimic COVID symptoms
Similar to coronavirus infections, vaccines can induce symptoms that may be similar to COVID symptoms. Given that coronavirus vaccines are a mimicry of the actual virus, it triggers an immune response that may resemble immune responses triggered by COVID-19 infections, causing similar ailments in the body.
That said, fever, fatigue, chills, joint pain and headache are some of the vaccine side effects that may resemble COVID-19 symptoms and may sometimes fool people into thinking that they may have caught the deadly virus.
How to tell whether you are dealing with vaccine side effects or COVID-19?
As compared to COVID symptoms, vaccine side effects last for a short period of time and vanish within a day or two. However, if you continue to experience COVID symptoms for several days, remember to self-isolate and get yourself tested for coronavirus.
Other differentiators could be loss of sense of smell and persistent cough, which are common in COVID-19 infections, but do not occur post-vaccination.