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News 3 checks in with local doctor about COVID-19 vaccine side effects

Dr. Light Gets Vaccine.PNG
Posted at 3:41 PM, Jan 12, 2021
and last updated 2021-02-17 16:34:58-05

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - COVID-19 cases throughout Hampton Roads keep climbing, but more and more people are getting vaccinated daily.

News 3 showed you what it was like at Fire Station 8 in Virginia Beach when Dr. Ryan Light with the Tidewater Physicians Multispecialty Group got his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine last week.

News 3 checked back in with him a few days later to see how he is feeling.

“The only symptom I had was my arm was sore the next day,” said Dr. Light.

The FDA says other common side effects are fatigue, headache, chills, fever or joint and muscle pain.

Lisa Engle is an epidemiologist for the Chesapeake Health Department. She, too, got the shot last week.

“My arm was a little sore that day and the next,” said Engle. “People were telling me it would be really sore the next day and I know people that it was sore for them the next day, but I didn't have any of that.”

She is concerned about the number of COVID-19 cases in our region.

“I think people have gotten tired of it and are trying to go back to normal, but we're nowhere near back to normal. This is the worst it's ever been,” said Engle.

She said the case load is putting a strain on the healthcare industry.

“It's crazy. It's really bad. The hospitals are overwhelmed; the investigators are overwhelmed,” said Engle.

She said the state of Virginia keeps hiring investigators to help with contact tracing and they’re overloaded with cases.

Experts said people will still need to wear a mask and socially distance, even after getting a vaccine.

“Just keep doing the social distancing and good hand hygiene; the vaccines are on their way,” said Dr. Light.

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