What Happens To Your Body When You Take The Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine

The coronavirus pandemic has been with us for quite some time, but while we've been growing used to stay-at-home orders, business closures, all-day Netflix binging, and sweatpants wearing, scientists and medical professionals have worked to create a number of different vaccines, all in record time. Two vaccines from separate companies were given emergency authorization in the United States. One such vaccine was the Pfizer vaccine, a two-part vaccination that, at the time of this writing, has been administered to over 86 million people across the country (via the Centers for Disease Control).

So what is the process of getting the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine? What does it consist of? What impact does it have on the body? These are all questions that people are wanting the answers to, given that vaccinations are now happening across the country.

The Pfizer vaccine is being administered, like the other vaccines available, to certain age groups, essential workers, and people with preexisting conditions across the United States. With time, more states are expanding their eligibility, leading to more vaccinated people in the near future. So here's everything you need to know about what happens to your body when you receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

There has been a little bit of confusion about the two-step process associated with the Pfizer vaccine, so here's the info. The manufacturer of the vaccine is Pfizer, Inc. and BioNTech. It is an mRNA vaccine and must be administered in two different shots, each shot being 21 days apart. It's given in the upper arm, and it can be administered to anyone 16 and older, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. After the first dose, the second should be given after 21 days but before 42 days for "optimal vaccine effectiveness," as concluded by the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the CDC on March 15, 2021. 

So why the two shots? As noted by Healthline, the mRNA vaccine works with the cells in your body and creates the proteins necessary to keep your body functioning well. The mRNA that is in the Pfizer vaccine gives your body's cells a set of instructions that it then uses to create the "spike protein" that works to protect you from COVID. So you heard it here: If you're getting the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, make sure you go for that second appointment.

When you get the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, you should be aware of the common side effects. Like the flu vaccine, the Pfizer jab goes into the upper part of your arm, and there are some common side effects that may present themselves at the area at which it's administered. According to the Centers for Disease Control, you may experience redness, pain, or swelling in the area where you received the vaccine. Of course, everyone is different, so you may experience these side effects or you may not — it varies person to person.

There are some other side effects that should be noted that impact other areas of your body, rather than just the point of vaccination. After the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, you may experience side effects including chills, nausea, tiredness, headaches, muscle pain, and fever. According to the CDC, the side effects usually materialize within a day or so of getting the vaccine and should go away in a couple days. So maybe plan to take it easy for the few days after your appointment. Even if you don't get side effects, some downtime at home with Netflix is always a good idea.

Like a lot of vaccines that we're used to getting — the flu shot, the chickenpox vaccine, etc. — the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine comes with temporary setbacks. Dealing with a slight fever, body aches, and area soreness (among other side effects) is never fun, and while most post-vaccine symptoms should go away quickly, it's important to know how to treat your body. Good thing for people who have been vaccinated or are waiting for their turn, the Centers for Disease Control has a list of practices you can do to help heal from the vaccine as quickly as possible. 

Let's break it down. Your arm could be a bit sore, red, or swollen at and around the area you were given the actual shot of the Pfizer vaccine. In order to help with these side effects, it's recommended to apply a cool, clean, wet washcloth and let it work its magic. It is also important to exercise and use your arm like you normally would. In the aftermath of the vaccine, you should dress lightly (especially if you have a bit of a fever) and be sure to drink a lot of water.

As aforementioned, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine consists of two separate shots that are administered 21 days apart. So what exactly happens to the body after the second Pfizer jab? We've got the answers you're looking for. The normal side effects that we've previously discussed can return after the second dose of the vaccine, and a decent number of people reported feeling worse than they did after the first shot. But don't be alarmed — your body's heightened reaction to the second dose is a good sign. 

Dr. Debra Powell, who serves as Tower Health's chief of infectious diseases in Pennsylvania, told Healthline that the common side effects people may experience after the second vaccine are signs that the jab has "triggered a response by your immune system" — basically, these side effects are a way you can tell the vaccine's doing its job. "When you feel sick or have a fever, that's largely your body responding," Dr. Powell said. "It's usually a very short-term thing and much better than getting COVID and being sick for 2 weeks or in the hospital." Dr. Powell explained that the first COVID vaccine "teaches" the body how to respond to the virus, while the second is a boost to the system. The two shots are 90 percent efficient in protecting vaccinated people against the virus, as noted by The Washington Post. 

So let's talk about something that can't be controlled but is still very annoying. As noted by The New York Times, women have reportedly been experiencing a more serious reaction to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine than men, and that's just flat out frustrating. But there are reasons, so we'll break it down for you. 

After the first 13.7 million COVID vaccines were administered in the United States, an analysis found that common side effects were more prevalent in women. The analysis also found that almost only women experienced rare serious reactions to the vaccine like going into anaphylactic shock. 

Unfortunately, this is pretty standard. Women have often reported more significant side effects to a variety of other vaccines than their male counterparts, so it looks like the COVID vaccine is nothing if not consistent. So why the unfair symptoms? Women, obviously, have estrogen which can "stimulate" the immune system's response. Testosterone, on the other hand, has the ability to "blunt" the immune system. Because being a woman isn't hard enough.

There have been questions circulating around the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and people who have previously had and recovered from the coronavirus, so here's what you need to know. As noted by The New York Times, both research and testimonies from people previously diagnosed with the coronavirus showed that some who had the virus reacted more severely to the vaccine than those who never got it. 

Research and experiences from those who have received the vaccine also showed that those who reacted more severely to the first jab may have had the coronavirus at some point, even if they hadn't been aware of the virus in their body. So if you had the coronavirus or you tested positive for the coronavirus antibodies, you should prepare yourself to possibly have a stronger reaction to the shot. 

The Times recommended possibly taking a couple of days off work, not only for your own health and well-being, but also for the peace of mind of your colleagues (that's if you go into work and aren't working from home). Plus, a couple days in bed is always a good call if you're feeling under the weather.