• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
HealthCOVID-19 vaccines

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine booster leads to ‘mostly mild’ side effects, according to the CDC

By
Anushree Dave
Anushree Dave
and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Anushree Dave
Anushree Dave
and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 29, 2021, 12:23 AM ET

People who got COVID-19 vaccine boosters after the shots were cleared for those with weakened immune systems had mostly mild to moderate reactions, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Some 22,191 booster recipients registered with a federal monitoring system starting Aug. 12, when the doses were first authorized on an emergency basis by U.S. regulators, through Sept. 19, the CDC said in a report on Tuesday. 

Overall, 71% reported pain at the injection site, while 56% reported fatigue and 43% said they experienced a headache after getting a third dose of a messenger RNA vaccine. The data were reported by recipients 0 to 7 days after a third dose. 

Regulators opted to make third doses of the shots made by Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE and Moderna Inc. available last month after data suggested that transplant recipients and other people with immune-system deficiencies weren’t being given adequate protection by the conventional two-shot regimen.

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration also authorized a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine for a broader group. Additional shots for recipients of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines could be cleared soon, health officials have indicated.

Among those who reported their reactions to the monitoring system, about 1.8% said that they sought medical care, while 13 people said they were hospitalized. Specific reasons for receiving care weren’t reported in the survey.

“The frequency and type of side effects were similar to those seen after the second vaccine doses, and were mostly mild or moderate, and short-lived,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said at a briefing by the White House Coronavirus Task Force on Tuesday.

Little Mixing

The patterns of adverse reactions after a third dose for both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech shots were consistent with those that have been described after a second dose. The so-called primary series for both of the messenger RNA vaccines involves two doses administered several weeks apart.

Debate over the merits of taking vaccine doses from more than one drugmaker has been growing since last week’s Pfizer clearance, but there weren’t enough data to determine if mixing causes adverse reactions. Nearly all of those who reported to the monitoring system said they stuck with the same manufacturer for all three doses. 

The findings are limited to people who self-reported. A majority identified themselves as White and non-Hispanic. 

Overall, approximately 2.21 million people in the U.S. had received additional vaccine doses as of Sept. 19, according to the CDC.

More health care and Big Pharma coverage from Fortune:

  • Health insurers justify passing COVID treatment costs on to patients despite massive profits
  • Why pregnant people are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine boosters
  • Portugal leads the world in COVID-19 vaccinations
  • A WHO-approved Novavax vaccine could upstage mRNA jabs—if it can solve its manufacturing delays
  • Duckworth, Raimondo: Congress must back the president’s historic investment in home care workers

Subscribe to Fortune Daily to get essential business stories straight to your inbox each morning.

About the Authors
By Anushree Dave
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Bloomberg
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

CDC to escalate Ebola response after WHO declares emergency
HealthHealth
CDC to escalate Ebola response after WHO declares emergency
By Jessica Nix and BloombergMay 17, 2026
3 hours ago
WHO declares latest Ebola outbreak a global health emergency. A rare variant of the disease with no approved treatments is to blame
HealthHealth
WHO declares latest Ebola outbreak a global health emergency. A rare variant of the disease with no approved treatments is to blame
By Chinedu Asadu and The Associated PressMay 17, 2026
8 hours ago
hoeg
HealthFDA
RFK ally confirms she was fired by FDA: ‘I learned so much and leave with no regrets’
By Matthew Perrone and The Associated PressMay 16, 2026
2 days ago
lawyer
CommentaryLaw
Would you hire the lawyer who just got sanctioned for using AI?
By Alexandra SmythMay 16, 2026
2 days ago
lori
Commentarymental health
I run Valvoline Instant Oil Change and work with young people every day. They’re in crisis—and we all have to try to help
By Lori FleesMay 15, 2026
3 days ago
Claude is telling users to go to sleep mid-session and nobody, including Anthropic, seems to fully understand why it keeps doing it
AITech
Claude is telling users to go to sleep mid-session and nobody, including Anthropic, seems to fully understand why it keeps doing it
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 14, 2026
3 days ago

Most Popular

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
2 days ago
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
Politics
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
1 day ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
5 days ago
The top foreign holders of U.S. debt may soon dump Treasury bonds and bring their money back home, potentially spiking borrowing costs
Economy
The top foreign holders of U.S. debt may soon dump Treasury bonds and bring their money back home, potentially spiking borrowing costs
By Jason MaMay 17, 2026
9 hours ago
SpaceX heads into a record-shattering IPO with the 'deepest moat that exists today' as investors vow to 'never bet against Elon'
Innovation
SpaceX heads into a record-shattering IPO with the 'deepest moat that exists today' as investors vow to 'never bet against Elon'
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
1 day ago
'No one was coming to save me': How Reese Witherspoon built a $900 million company from a problem Hollywood wouldn't fix
Success
'No one was coming to save me': How Reese Witherspoon built a $900 million company from a problem Hollywood wouldn't fix
By Sydney LakeMay 17, 2026
16 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.