When Freedom Baird got her first dose of Moderna's vaccine in February, she wasn't sure what kind of side effects to anticipate.
Baird is a COVID-19 long-hauler — she's had lingering shortness of breath and chest pain for roughly a year. Many people who've had a prior infection develop more side effects in response to the first vaccine dose than the second. On average, however, people typically feel more run-down after their second shot.
Baird's age complicated her expectations: She's 56, and clinical trials have shown that people over 55 often develop fewer vaccine side effects. As it turns out, she didn't feel much.