Coronavirus FAQ: What Does It Mean If My Ears Ring Or Toes Hurt After A Vaccine? [NPR]

National Public Radio reports on complaints of toe pain or ringing of the ears after a COVID-19 vaccine. Oscar Gomez-Duarte, division chief of infectious diseases at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, said such occurrences are rare. "So there might be a sort of cross-reaction, where those immune responses recognize proteins within the individual," he explains. "If it's in the skin, you might see a skin rash; if it's in the nervous system, there might be issues with pain, or inability to move; if it's the lung, then this individual might wheeze." For the vast majority of people, he said, the side effects of vaccination are mild and they're worth the price of bringing a quicker end to the crisis. "What's most important is that people who are eligible for immunization get immunized," Gomez-Duarte said.