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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021
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Worried about getting
a COVID-19 vaccine?
Here are the side effects
Connor Radnovich
Salem Statesman Journal
USA TODAY NETWORK
The front side of the Oregon State Capitol is under construction near Court
Street Northeast on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 in Salem. ABIGAIL DOLLINS /
STATESMAN JOURNAL
New Ore. gun law
goes into effect
Whitney Woodworth
Salem Statesman Journal
USA TODAY NETWORK
A portion of a gun-control measure
the Oregon Legislature passed earlier
this year requiring safe storage of fire-
arms has gone into effect.
Oregon joins 11 other states in requir-
ing gun owners to store their firearms in
a gun room or safe or use a trigger lock
when it is not being carried or under
their control.
Here’s what to know about the new
law:
h A firearm is not considered secured
if a key or combination to the trigger, ca-
ble lock or the container is readily avail-
able to a person the owner or possessor
has not authorized to carry or control
the firearm or a handgun is left unat-
tended in a vehicle and is within view of
people outside the vehicle.
h The safe storage requirement
doesn’t apply if a gun owner is either
alone in their home or with other people
allowed to use the gun.
h Violations of the law are civil in-
fractions, but the penalties increase if a
minor gets access to an unsecured fire-
arm as a result of the violation.
h If an owner violates the safe stor-
age law and, as a result, the firearm is
used to injure a person or property with-
in two years of the violation, the injured
party may bring a civil lawsuit against
the owner and the court must find that
the owner or possessor was negligent.
h If a person transfers a firearm and
a criminal background check is re-
quired prior to the transfer, the person
is also required to transfer the firearm
with a trigger lock or in a locked con-
tainer.
h A gun dealer must post in a prom-
inent location a notice, in block letters
not less than one inch in height, that
states, “The purchaser of a firearm has
an obligation to store firearms in a safe
manner and to prevent unsupervised
access to a firearm by a minor. If a mi-
nor or unauthorized person obtains
access to a firearm and the owner
failed to store the firearm in a safe
manner, the owner may be in violation
of the law.”
h Failing to secure a firearm would
result in a maximum fine of $500.
h That fine increases to $2,000 if a
minor accesses an unsecured firearm.
Another portion of the bill imposes
a new gun ban at the state Capitol and
allows public school districts, commu-
nity colleges and universities to set
their own gun ban policies.
The bill received pushback from Re-
publicans and spurred a failed referen-
dum petition.
For questions, comments and news
tips, email reporter Whitney Wood-
worth
at
wmwoodworth@
statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-
6616
or
follow
on
Twitter
@wmwoodworth
Like all vaccinations, COVID-19
vaccines carry the potential for side ef-
fects. These side effects are most often
minor and go away in a matter of days.
According to the Centers for Dis-
ease Control, "no long-term side ef-
fects have been detected" for CO-
VID-19 vaccines and monitoring of po-
tential side effects from the vaccine
continues.
Allergic reactions are also possible.
Most common side effects
Here are the most common side ef-
fects from COVID-19 vaccination, ac-
cording to the CDC:
In the arm where the shot is re-
ceived pain, redness and swelling are
common. One could also experience
headaches, tiredness, muscle pain,
chills, fever and nausea.
These — particularly fever and body
aches — can be signs that your body is
building up its protections against CO-
VID-19.
The use of over-the-counter medi-
cation to address these side effects can
be used after vaccination. It is not rec-
ommended that medication to address
side effects be taken beforehand.
To reduce pain or discomfort from
the shot, exercising the arm or using a
cool, damp cloth can be effective. For a
fever, drink fluids.
Side effects from the second shot
can be more severe than the first, but
this is not always the case.
The Moderna vaccine has been given
to more than 12 million people. There
have been 100 reports of Guillain-Barré,
and one resulting death. Symptoms
typically begin with weakness and tin-
gling in the extremities that quickly
spread.
According to the CDC, there have
been 38 cases of TTS within 15 days of
vaccination, and four resulting deaths.
Symptoms typically appear four to 30
days after vaccination and can include
persistent headaches, visual changes,
abdominal pain, chest pain, leg pain,
coldness in limbs and acute bruising or
bleeding.
The CDC estimates that per million
doses of Moderna given to men age 50-
64, 1,800 hospitalizations and 140
deaths attributable to COVID-19 could
be prevented by getting vaccinated,
compared with 14-17 Guilian Barré cases
and 1-2 TTS cases prevented by not get-
ting vaccinated.
Myocarditis, an inflammation of the
heart, has been reported after the Pfizer
vaccine, particularly after the second
dose and more often for men or young
adults several days after vaccination.
About 141 million Americans have re-
ceived both doses of the two vaccines.
According to the CDC, there have been
497 cases of myocarditis, and no result-
ing deaths. Symptoms can include chest
pain, shortness of breath and feelings of
having a fast-beating, fluttering or
pounding heart.
Flu shot and COVID-19 shot
The CDC has said it is safe to get a flu
shot at the same time you get one of the
COVID-19 vaccine shots.
Serious side effects
When to call a doctor
Serious side effects with the CO-
VID-19 vaccine are rare, and the CDC
has determined that the benefits out-
weigh the risks.
Rare adverse events after the Mo-
derna vaccine have included Guillain-
Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune
neurologic disorder that includes
weakness and paralysis in the limbs
and muscles, and thrombosis with
thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS),
which causes blood clots and low
platelet levels.
The CDC says a vaccine recipient
should call their doctor if redness or ten-
derness around the shot location gets
worse after 24 hours, or if side effects do
not seem to be going away after a few
days.
Reporter Connor Radnovich covers
the Oregon Legislature and state gov-
ernment.
Contact
him
at
cradnovich@statesmanjournal.com or
503-399-6864, or follow him on Twitter
at @CDRadnovich.
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