Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, recently revealed what it was like to take his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to The Hill.
- The coronavirus vaccines currently available require two doses for full effectiveness. The second shot happens about 21 days after the first shot.
What happened to Fauci
Fauci said Thursday that the second round of the COVID-19 vaccine knocked him out for an entire day, something that he wished hadn’t happened, according to The Hill.
- “I had it on the 19th. I was hoping that I wouldn’t get too knocked out. I did for about 24 hours. Now I’m fine,” Fauci told reporters Thursday.
- “Fatigued. A little achy. You know. Chilly. Not sick,” Fauci added.
Why the second dose matters
University of Utah Health Division of Infectious Diseases associate professor Dr. Emily Spivak told the Deseret News that it’s important to get both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine so you can be fully protected against the virus.
- “The whole point of the second dose is to boost the sort of the amount of antibody and the amount of immunity that you have and hopefully the length. We just don’t even know how long the protection is after two doses,” Spivak said.