Booster jab side effects: Pfizer and Moderna booster side effects - and how the Covid booster vaccines differ

More than half of the Scottish population have had a booster vaccine so far - here are the side effects for booster jabs and what to watch out for.
By Liv McMahon
Published 2nd Jul 2021, 17:55 BST
Updated 17th Dec 2021, 13:59 BST
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With 52% of over 18-year-olds in Scotland having received their booster dose, as per the latest data from Public Health Scotland, Scotland’s booster vaccine rollout continues to be the fastest in the UK.

The rapid spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus has led to people across the UK queueing up for booster vaccines as almost 90,000 positive Covid cases were reported in the UK on Thursday December 16.

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Booster jab side effects: Pfizer and Moderna booster side effects - and how the Covid booster vaccines differ (Image credit: Getty Images/troyanphotos via Canva Pro)Booster jab side effects: Pfizer and Moderna booster side effects - and how the Covid booster vaccines differ (Image credit: Getty Images/troyanphotos via Canva Pro)
Booster jab side effects: Pfizer and Moderna booster side effects - and how the Covid booster vaccines differ (Image credit: Getty Images/troyanphotos via Canva Pro)

But as more people are called to attend walk-in vaccination clinics in Scotland following Omicron’s rise, some people are also experiencing the mild side effects of the booster jab – which can differ depending on the dose and type of vaccine.

Currently, Moderna and Pfizer are the vaccines predominantly used in Scotland’s booster vaccine programme, with AstraZeneca also available to those with allergies to the mRNA vaccines.

Getting a booster vaccine is the best method we currently have of preventing the further spread of the Omicron variant, which has been shown to be able to evade one or two doses of a Covid vaccine more easily.

Here are the most common side effects to expect after your Moderna (also known as Spikevax) or Pfizer booster jab.

Members of the public queue for vaccinations on a vaccination bus at West College Scotland Clydebank Campus on December 17, 2021 in Glasgow. (Image credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)Members of the public queue for vaccinations on a vaccination bus at West College Scotland Clydebank Campus on December 17, 2021 in Glasgow. (Image credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Members of the public queue for vaccinations on a vaccination bus at West College Scotland Clydebank Campus on December 17, 2021 in Glasgow. (Image credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Moderna

The Moderna booster vaccine, unlike the Pfizer booster, is a half dose of a single vaccine and administered under the name ‘Spikevax’.

The most common side effects felt by those receiving Spikevax, affecting more than one in ten people, were:

- Swelling/tenderness of the underarm glands on the same side as the injection site

- Headache

- Nausea

- Vomiting

- Muscle ache, joint aches, and stiffness

- Pain or swelling at the injection site