VACCINE TEAM: My brother had a bad reaction to his first shot of the vaccine. Should he get the second?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - A viewer reached out to us wondering if her brother should get the second dose of an mRNA vaccine after having a reaction from his first shot.

If you have a severe reaction to the vaccine, you are asked to report it through the V-Safe. All you need is your vaccination information and a smartphone. This way the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can track side effects, specifically more severe reactions. The app won’t give medical advice. But the CDC is using the information to see how people are responding to the three approved vaccines. If you need to see a doctor, you should right away.

But if the symptoms include things like nausea, a fever, aches, and pains, or chills, those fall under what the CDC would be considered moderate side effects.

So if your side effects are not severe, you should have your second dose. According to the Centers For Disease Control, you are not considered fully vaccinated unless you complete the series of two shots of your mRNA vaccine, either Pfizer or Moderna.

V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after you receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Through v-safe, you can quickly tell CDC if you have any side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Depending on your answers to the web surveys, someone from CDC may call to check on you and get more information. V-safe will also remind you to get your second COVID-19 vaccine dose if you need one.
Note: V-safe cannot schedule COVID-19 vaccination appointments, including second dose appointments if required. If you need to schedule, reschedule, or cancel a COVID-19 vaccination appointment, contact the location that set up your appointment or a vaccination provider in your area. This may be your state or local health department, employer, or vaccination provider.

You can learn more about V-safe on the CDC website.

We love hearing from you. Submit your questions to the Vaccine Team here.