The COVID-19 vaccine side effects you can expect based on your age, sex, and dose
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.