Have an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine? Here’s what you can expect after getting your shot

SAN ANTONIO – Appointments for available COVID-19 vaccines in the San Antonio area are filling up, which means many will be getting their first dose soon. But what can you expect after getting a COVID-19 vaccine? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is offering some guidance for patients before they head to an administration site.

After you get a vaccine, you may likely experience side effects similar to the flu, which may affect your ability to perform some daily activities, the CDC says.

According to the CDC, the most common side effects after getting the vaccine include pain and swelling in the arm where you got the shot and fever, chills, headaches and tiredness throughout the rest of your body.

The CDC instructs patients to call their doctor if they experience increasing redness or tenderness at the injection site or if common side effects don’t go away after a few days.

Patients should remember that they must get a second dose of the vaccine to get its full effect, the CDC says.