Dr. Frank McGeorge shares experience with second dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

DETROIT – As vaccinations against COVID-19 continue, we are now at a time when many people who received the first doses of Pfizer vaccine have received their second.

This includes Dr. Frank McGeorge from Local 4 News. Recently, he talked about the side effects he had from the second dose, so you know what to expect.

Related: Questions about COVID-19? Ask the doctor

“My experience with the first dose of Pfizer vaccine was almost in line with what I expected. Mainly just the pain in my arm, where I received the injection, although it was more severe than I had ever experienced from any other blow. The pain responded to Motrin and disappeared one day. My second photo was a different story, “said McGeorge.

He shared some thoughts from a video diary recorded after his first shot.

“Something else happened to me while driving home to do the news, a later untimely thought, three weeks from today, the date on my vaccination card when I have to take the second dose of vaccine, I have three midnight shifts. . This was poor planning by me because based on the study data, the highest incidence of side effects such as fever, body aches and so on are on day or two after the second stroke, “he said. McGeorge.

Fortunately, he was able to reschedule his second dose after midnight shifts.

Data from the study that Pfizer submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for its emergency use clearance clearly show a significant number of side effects after the second dose.

Almost a third of people between the ages of 18 and 55 had a fever, 35% had chills, 52% had a headache, 22% had joint pain, 37% had muscle aches and almost two-thirds had had fatigue.

McGeorge was in the unlucky group and felt all the side effects.

He was shot Sunday morning at 7:30 a.m. and went home to sleep.

By noon, four hours later, when he woke up, McGeorge had a sore arm. On Sunday, he felt good until around 9 pm, 14 hours after the shooting.

He started having body aches. By 10 p.m., he had taken some Motrin. The next 12 hours were really unpleasant.

McGeorge says he suffered muscle aches, joint pain, headaches, chills and a fever of up to 100 degrees.

He did not feel normal until 36 hours after the shooting.

“I want to be clear. I’m talking about this so that you have an idea of ​​what might happen after the second shot and be prepared. Make sure you have a light day planned afterwards and that you have some Tylenol or Motrin around. I talked to many of my colleagues who had the second dose and at least a third of them had significant side effects, “said McGeorge.

“I also want to note that I have seen the effects of a severe COVID infection. The vaccine is definitely the best choice. ”

the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan rose to 525,612 as of Tuesday, including 13,501 deaths, state officials report.

Tuesday’s update includes 1,994 new cases and 100 additional deaths.