All vaccines have the effect we need, none is better or worse. As for reactions, the belief is if one has a reaction that is good actually because it means your body has definitely produced antibodies
I had Pfizer for all 3 with NO side effects at all. I have heard on the news J&J is good dose for any of Pfizer, Moderna or J&J. I have heard (with my shingles vax booster; I had a very strong reaction to it) that a strong reaction is a very good thing. I was told it means more antibodies are being produced.
I got the Moderna booster a few weeks ago after just over six months after receiving the first two Moderna shots. I know that the TV docs said you could mix but, hey, it's my health so I did not. I felt "woozy" for a day before it went away. And the injection made my arm sorer than with the regular injections.
Thanks everyone who has answered so far.
I'm not terribly worried about side effects - I just like to know before going in what to expect. I can handle it, and know everyone is different. :)
I'm getting my booster the middle of December. I wanted to do it through my health network (it records into all my medical records) but they only had a few days in December that you could get an appointment. They tell you here to get the same as you had for your first two vaccines so I'll be getting Pfizer. I was sick with my first vaccine of Pfizer but heard that is very common if you've had covid (had it last January). Hoping this will be no big deal. I DID learn you can get the the flu vaccine at the same time without issue. I'm getting that before at my grocery store Little Clinic. Forgot to get it at the doctors. That's my story. :>)
I had Moderna in Jan/Feb and bolstered with Moderna in early November. With the original shots, I got a really sore arm and fatigue. Later, I got a really bad itch on the arm they gave my the original shots - they insisted they had to do them both in the left arm. I’ve read that itching can be a delayed reaction, so I’m assuming that’s what the itch is, but of course, I can’t know for sure.
With the booster, my arm swelled up for a couple of days, then I developed an angry red rash near the injection site. The rash lasted for several days, as did the arm soreness, but it’s all better now.
I should note that I always get a very sore arm when I get vaccines so that part wasn’t any different from a flu, pneumonia or other shot. I’ve never developed the rash at the injection site before. I’m not worried about it because it’s all gone now and as you say, it was better than getting COVID.
I got boostered last week. Did Moderna last April, had some side effects then such as chills and sore arm, but not huge. (My husband had worse, it was that flu-like reaction with headache. But even that went away after about a day and a half.) I boostered with Moderna, and (maybe because Moderna's booster is a half dose, unlike Pfizer's) had only very light effects. A slightly sore arm but not wildly sore. A little tired in the evening. Slightly chilly. That was it. And it didn't last even into the next morning. That's my experience. Probably everyone's will be different, but for me the booster was much milder than the vaccine.