The side effects from a third dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine are similar to the side effects from the second dose, according to a Centers for Disease Control study.
Booster shot recipients reported headaches, fatigue and arm pain, the study found, essentially the same effects many people experienced after the second shot.
There were “no unexpected patterns of adverse reactions” to the booster shot, the report said.
About 79% of people reported pain at the injection site, compared with 77% after the second shot, according to the CDC. And 74% reported headaches or fatigue, compared with 76% on the second dose.
People often experienced side effects the day after receiving the shot, according to the study. Clinical trials for booster shots showed similar results.
The Food and Drug Administration approved boosters for many people earlier this month, including frontline workers and anyone 65 or older. Immunocompromised people were already eligible for the extra shot. President Joe Biden, 78, got his booster shot Monday.
The health agency has not yet approved the booster for the general public.
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