Most side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines are mild and should not last longer than a week. The common side effects are:
- a sore arm where the needle went in
- feeling tired
- a headache
- feeling achy
- feeling or being sick
You can take painkillers, such as paracetamol, if you need to.
You may get a high temperature or feel hot or shivery 1 or 2 days after having your vaccination.
But if you have a high temperature that lasts longer than 2 days, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste you may have COVID-19. Stay at home and get a test.
Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GOI, Covishield Factsheet, Covaxin Factsheet, Sputnik V Information
Most side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines are mild and should not last longer than a week. The common side effects are:
- a sore arm where the needle went in
- feeling tired
- a headache
- feeling achy
- feeling or being sick
You can give the person painkillers, such as paracetamol, if you need to.
You may get a high temperature or feel hot or shivery 1 or 2 days after having your vaccination.
But if you have a high temperature that lasts longer than 2 days, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste you may have COVID-19. Stay at home and get a test.
Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GOI, Covishield Factsheet, Covaxin Factsheet, Sputnik V Information
Like all medicines, these vaccines can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. In clinical studies with the vaccine, most side effects were mild to moderate in nature and resolved within a few days with some still present a week after vaccination.
If side effects such as pain and/or fever are troublesome, medicines containing paracetamol can be taken.
Side effects that occurred during clinical trials with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca® were as follows:
Very Common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
- tenderness, pain, warmth, itching or bruising where the injection is given
- generally feeling unwell
- feeling tired (fatigue)
- chills or feeling feverish
- headache
- feeling sick (nausea)
- joint pain or muscle ache
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people) - swelling, redness or a lump at the injection site
- fever
- being sick (vomiting) or diarrhoea
- flu-like symptoms, such as high temperature, sore throat, runny nose, cough and chills*
You can rest and take the normal dose of paracetamol (follow the advice in the packaging) to help you feel better. Although feeling feverish is not uncommon for 2 to 3 days, a high temperature is unusual and may indicate you have COVID-19 or another infection.
* Some people have reported a sudden feeling of cold with shivering/shaking accompanied by a rise in temperature, possibly with sweating, headache (including migraine-like headaches), nausea, muscle aches and feeling unwell, starting within a day of having the vaccine and usually lasting for a day or two.
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
- feeling dizzy
- decreased appetite
- abdominal pain
- enlarged lymph nodes
- excessive sweating, itchy skin or rash
Not known (cannot be estimated from the available data) - severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
In clinical trials there were very rare reports of events associated with inflammation of the nervous system, which may cause numbness, pins and needles, and/or loss of feeling. However, it is not confirmed whether these events were due to the vaccine.
Following widespread use of the vaccine there have been extremely rare reports of blood clots occurring with low levels of platelets.
If your fever is high and lasts longer than two or three days, or you have other persistent symptoms, this might not be due to side effects of the vaccine and you should follow appropriate advice according to your symptoms.
Source: NHS, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare-GOI, Covishield Factsheet, Covaxin Factsheet, Sputnik V Information
Covishield® is NOT associated with an increased overall risk of blood clotting disorders. There have been very rare cases of unusual blood clots accompanied by low levels of blood platelets. The majority of these cases occurred within the first 14 days following vaccination but some have also been reported after this period. Some cases were life-threatening or had a fatal outcome. It is important to remember the benefits of vaccination to give protection against COVID-19 still outweigh any potential risks. The problem can also happen in people who have not been vaccinated and it’s not yet clear why it affects some people.
Public Health England (PHE) has actively investigated all reports involving blood clots and unusual bleeding after vaccination. The risk appears to be higher in people who have had the first dose of the AstraZeneca (Covishield®) vaccine, is seen slightly more often in younger people, and tends to occur between 4 days and 2 weeks following vaccination.
If any of the following occur from around 4 days to 4 weeks after vaccination people should seek medical advice urgently:
● a new, severe headache which is not helped by usual painkillers or is getting worse
● a headache which seems worse when lying down or bending over
● an unusual headache that may be accompanied by blurred vision, nausea and vomiting, difficulty with speech, weakness, drowsiness or seizures
● new, unexplained pinprick bruising or bleeding
● shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling or persistent abdominal pain
No, they are rare. Covishield® is NOT associated with an increased overall risk of blood clotting disorders. There have been very rare cases of unusual blood clots accompanied by low levels of blood platelets. Around 4 people develop this condition for every million doses of the vaccine given.
If you experience any of the following from around 4 days after vaccination you should seek medical advice urgently:
- a severe headache that is not relieved with simple painkillers or is getting worse or feels worse when you lie down or bend over
- an unusual headache that may be accompanied by blurred vision, confusion, difficulty with speech, weakness, drowsiness or seizures (fits)
- rash that looks like small bruises or bleeding under the skin beyond the injection site
- shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling or persistent abdominal (tummy) pain.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you experienced a blood clot occurring at the same time as low levels of platelets after receiving a previous dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
