An expert has explained how to ease the most common side effect of the Covid vaccine as 12million more people will today be asked to come in for another jab. The vaccine booster rollout is extending to all over-509s from Friday.
Experts are urging as many people as possible to get the jab amid the fear there could be another big surge in the disease, alongside a surge in serious cases of flu. Covid-19 patient levels in England are at their highest since the end of July with health experts warning of “sustained increases” in infections and admissions.
The number of deaths where coronavirus is mentioned on a person’s death certificate are also starting to rise.
More than half of people aged 75 and over in England have now received an autumn booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine. A total of 10,608 patients testing positive for coronavirus were in hospital as of 8am on October 12, according to NHS England.
This is up 10% from 9,631 a week earlier and is the highest figure since July 29. Numbers have risen in recent weeks, signalling Covid-19 is once again becoming more prevalent.
The latest figures show most regions are continuing to see a rise in patients, though levels have fallen slightly in north-west England and south-west England. Dr Mary Ramsay, director of public health programmes at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said: “We’re seeing sustained increases in Covid-19 cases and hospitalisation rates, so we continue to urge those eligible for vaccinations to come forward, whether that’s a first dose or a booster.
“Vaccines are the best protection against severe disease and hospitalisation this winter and it’s never too late to take up your first dose.
“There are early indications that deaths with Covid-19 have also started to rise. Whilst this is concerning, it is too early to say whether these are deaths due to Covid-19 and it is reassuring that at this stage there is no overall excess mortality.
“If you are unwell or have symptoms of a respiratory infection, it is particularly important to avoid contact with elderly people or those who are more likely to have severe disease because of their ongoing health conditions.”
All people aged 50 and over will be able to book an appointment for the booster from Friday providing they had their last jab at least three months ago. Doses are also available to frontline health and care workers, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
Figures published last week by the Office for National Statistics confirmed that infections are on an upwards trend in England.
The number of people in private households testing positive for coronavirus in the week to September 24 was 1.1 million, or around one in 50 – up from 857,400, or one in 65, in the seven days to September 17.
Express.co.uk spoke to Duncan Reid, Pharmacist at Pharmacy2U, about how to spot this pain and nip it in the bud. Reid said: “A sore arm following your COVID-19 booster jab is a common reaction that many experience.
“It can most easily be described as a dull ache, on the outside of the shoulder, that may make your arm feel heavy and uncomfortable to lift or move.
“This is common with other vaccinations that are given in the same way; it’s not exclusive to COVID-19 vaccinations.”
He said: “The injection is given into the deltoid muscle in the shoulder, and the introduction of the vaccine to this area can cause some mild inflammation and the beginning of a response by the immune system, which is what the vaccine is intended to do – this can cause some soreness for some people, that should pass within a few days.”
While not everyone experiences this achy side effect, it can appear as early as a few hours after you get your Covid vaccine.
Reid said: “Simple painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, if these are safe for you to take, can help to reduce any discomfort.
“It is also a good idea to move your arm every now and then to reduce any stiffness, but whilst this is important, you should avoid strenuous exercise if you are experiencing pain.”
The achy arm should naturally go away within a few days.
The expert added: “If you have persistent arm pain, lasting for more than three days, or symptoms that are particularly uncomfortable, or if you have any other adverse reactions that are mentioned in the leaflet for the vaccine that you are given, you should seek medical advice from your GP or pharmacist.”
