Women 'More Prone To Have Bothersome Side Effects' From COVID Vaccinations, Dr. Dave Hnida Says

(CBS4) - As more people receive their COVID-19 vaccinations, medical professionals are getting a better understanding of the side effects and who is most likely to experience them.

"Women tend to be more prone than men to have bothersome side effects," said CBS4 Medical Editor Dr. Dave Hnida during his weekly question and answer session on CBSN Denver.

Hnida said that's not a bad thing and it just shows how women are different to men when it comes to an immune response to a vaccine.

"Women are more likely to get things like sore arms, fever, chills, aches and fatigue than men are, particularly when it comes to that second dose," Hnida said.

He explained it's because women tend to have stronger immune systems and immune responses than men.

"It all has to do, we think, with hormones. Estrogen is something really boosts immunity. Testosterone, on the other hand, tends to depress the immune system."

That difference explains why men are more likely to have severe COVID-19 cases if they contract the disease compared to women.

Hnida said the same response can be seen in flu vaccines.

"I think the bottom line here is when it comes to the immune system, women are definitely stronger than men."