“COVID Arm” – A Delayed Symptom of the Coronavirus Vaccine

At the close of 2020, when two pharmaceutical companies declared that they have successfully produced a vaccine for the coronavirus, people were very eager to jump on board and get themselves immunized against the deadly disease. The companies released the vaccine with a caution that the dose has been proved only 95% effective in undermining the virus. What was not known or revealed were the few side effects that tagged along with the vaccination.

Unsplash | Coronavirus changed social values overnight

The Side Effects of the Coronavirus Vaccine

Majorly, people reported suffering a mild headache and fatigue. They also observed slight pain or inflammation of the vaccine site. Lately, there has been another revelation. The Moderna vaccine recipients reported that they experienced a red and inflamed lesion that occurred at the injection site about a week after receiving the vaccination dose. The lesion would usually be about two inches wide in diameter.

In the layman sphere, this aftereffect of the vaccine has been dubbed the “Coronavirus Arm.” Medical professionals have termed it as the delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity. This basically means a belated reaction of the skin to any allergic trigger.

Shutterstock | Many vaccinated people, have complained of COVID arm

What Does the COVID Arm Signify?

The medical professionals are eager to assure that this side effect is pretty harmless and should resolve on its own within a span of a week after making its appearance. Some people may also experience a slight pain at the site of the lesion. This is plainly caused by your body’s reaction to the vaccine in the process of procuring immunity against the coronavirus. This red lesion should not come in your way of receiving your next dose of the vaccine.

The Statistical Occurrence of the COVID Arm?

Though identified as a post-reaction of the body to the coronavirus vaccine introduced by Moderna, the red lesion has only occurred sparsely in the recipients of the vaccine.

According to US Today, only 14 people have reported suffering from the COVID Arm from the worldwide registry of the people having gotten immunized for coronavirus. Obviously, no this assumed that some cases may have gone unreported, but still the statistics portray a very small percentage of people who have suffered from this allergic reaction.

Shutterstock | The reaction can be of any kind

The doctors are confused why the Pfizer vaccine has not demonstrated a similar reaction, but it is an adequate cause for people to prefer the Pfizer vaccine over the Moderna vaccine. More research needs to be conducted to reduce the reason behind the COVID Arm.