Possible Side Effects After Getting A COVID-19 Vaccine
COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. You may have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. These side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. Some people have no side effects.
Serious side effects that could cause a long-term health problem are extremely unlikely following any vaccination, including COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccine monitoring has historically shown that side effects generally happen within six weeks of receiving a vaccine dose. For this reason, the FDA required each of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines to be studied for at least two months (eight weeks) after the final dose.
Common Side Effects
But shortages are leaving doctors, nurses and other frontline workers dangerously ill-equipped to care for COVID-19 patients, due to limited access to supplies such as gloves, medical masks, respirators, goggles, face shields, gowns, and aprons.
– On the arm when you got the shot
• Pain
• Redness
• Swelling
– Throughout the rest of the body
• Tiredness
• Headache
• Muscle Pain
• Chills
• Fever
• Nausea
Helpful Tips to Relieve Side Effects
Talk to your doctor about taking over-the-counter medicine, such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin, or antihistamines, for any pain and discomfort you may experience after getting vaccinated. You can take these medications to relieve post-vaccination side effects if you have no other medical reasons that prevent you from taking these medications normally. It is not recommended you take these medicines before vaccination for the purpose of trying to prevent side effects.
– To reduce pain and discomfort where you got the shot
• Apply a clean, cool, wet washcloth over the area.
• Swelling
– To reduce discomfort from fever
• Drink plenty of fluids.
