CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Several social media posts claim if you are over 200 pounds and are getting a vaccine like the COVID-19 vaccine, you actually need a bigger needle for the vaccine to be effective. But is this true?
The severity of the COVID-19 pandemic has faded, but there are still hundreds of hospitalizations and hundreds of deaths in the U.S. each week. That's why the CDC endorsed new COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months and older. The shots became available nationwide in September.
THE QUESTION
If you are over a certain weight, you need a 1.5-inch needle and not a standard 1-inch needle for some vaccines.
OUR SOURCES
THE ANSWER
Yes, if you are over a certain weight, you need a 1.5-inch needle and not a standard 1-inch needle for some vaccines.
WHAT WE FOUND
The CDC has a list of recommendations for how long the needle should be for administering a vaccine, depending on your age and weight. For women who weigh more than 200 pounds or men who weigh more than 260 pounds, a 1.5-inch needle is recommended.
"For people with a heavier body weight, it is necessary to have a longer needle to reach the muscle for vaccines delivered within the muscle," Robinson said.
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Robinson said most adult vaccines are administered in the muscle. Those include the flu shot, COVID-19 shot, and tetanus shot, to name a few. But will the vaccine be ineffective if it's a shorter needle?
"It may not be as effective as it would normally be because there are certain enzymes that would need to be to activate that are found within the muscle," Robinson said.
That doesn't mean you need to get another shot if the 1-inch needle was used, Robinson said, but it's always good to advocate for yourself and ask what needle size your doctor or pharmacy is using.
VERIFY also reached out to Walgreens and CVS.
CVS issued the following statement:
"Our immunizers have access to several types of needles, including 1-inch and 1.5-inch needles. They follow CDC guidance in using clinical judgment when selecting which needle length to use for each patient."
Walgreens did not get back to VERIFY by the deadline for this story.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
WCNC Charlotte's Verify series is all about trying to make a difference in the Carolinas by making sure the community has the correct information. WCNC Charlotte outlines concisely what we know and what we don't know. Sometimes the answer can be surprising. Watch previous stories where we verify social media claims in the YouTube playlist below and subscribe to get updated when new videos are uploaded.