What are the Side Effects of the COVID Vaccine?

Across the world, the Covid-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc. But now, there is one major weapon in the fight against this deadly disease – the Covid-19 vaccine. 

Scientists have now developed multiple vaccines, for instance, Covishield, Sputnik V and Covaxin for the public. Users can opt for any of those vaccines for your choice depending on availability. While all of these vaccines have been proven to be safe, taking the Covid-19 vaccine can lead to a few mild side effects such as pain at the site of injection, mild fever, etc.

Covishield

• Injection site pain, headache, fatigue, muscle or joint pain, fever, chills, and nausea
• Very rare cases of blood clots have been reported following vaccination with this vaccine, but no definite link has been established. [1]

Covaxin

• Injection site pain and swelling, rashes, headache, fatigue, body ache, fever, cough, cold, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
• In rare cases, may experience difficulty in breathing and swelling of the throat and face. [2]

Sputnik V

• Sore arm, tiredness, and low fever.
• In extremely rare cases, people might suffer breathing difficulties, convulsions, muscle weakness, high blood pressure, and headaches. [3]
• Note - As of today, 20th April'21 - Sputnik V vaccination is not yet started in India. The information mentioned is taken from internet sources.

What are the common possible side effects after taking the COVID-19 Vaccine?

As is the case with many other vaccines, when you take the Covid-19 vaccine, you might experience some side effects.

However, in the vast majority of cases, this is not any cause for concern. The side effects indicate that a person's body is building up immunity to protect against Covid-19 and should go away within a few days.

Here are some of the most common COVID-19 vaccine-related side effects :

• Injection Site Pain – you might experience some pain or swelling on the arm where you got the shot
• Fatigue – after getting the vaccine, you might feel unusually tired
• Headache – following vaccination, a common side effect is getting a mild to moderate headache accompanied by slight dizziness
• Muscle pain – another common side effect of the Covid-19 vaccine is to feel soreness and achiness in the muscles
• Joint pain – you might also feel physical discomfort or pain in one or more of your joints
• Chills – some people might also feel chills or feeling cold and shivering, even though they aren’t in a cold environment
• Fever – one of the most common symptoms of the Covid-19 vaccine is contracting a mild fever
• Nausea – you could also feel stomach discomfort, a queasy sensation, or an urge to vomit after taking the vaccine

Keep in mind that the side effects after your second shot may be more intense than what you experience after you get the first dose.

As soon as you get vaccinated (for both the first dose and the second), you will need to stay for about 15-30 minutes afterward so that the health workers can help you if you have any unusual side effects due to the Covid-19 vaccine. 

However, if you just experience the mild side effects discussed above, that is completely normal and is a sign that your body is building protection. These side effects should go away in a few days.

Note: If there is redness or pain at the injection site, and it increases after 24 hours, or if any of the other side effects do not go away after a few days, contact your doctor as soon as you can. 

Additionally, those who experience an immediate severe allergic reaction to the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine should not receive the second dose of the vaccine.

There are many things to do to reduce any discomfort or side effects of the Covid vaccine:

• To reduce pain and discomfort pain at the injection site, you can apply a clean cloth soaked in cold water to the area
• To help with any headaches or nausea, you can drink plenty of fluids
• To deal with any muscle or joint pain, severe headaches, or fever, you can take painkillers such as paracetamol

It is not recommended that you take any painkillers or other medicines before receiving the COVID-19 vaccination to prevent side effects. This is because it is still not known how such medications may affect the vaccine. 

Remember that while the side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine can hamper your ability to do daily activities, they are completely normal and should go away on their own in a few days.

Having these common and mild side effects can actually be a good thing, as they show that the vaccine is working.

On the other hand, experiencing no side effects doesn’t mean that the vaccine isn’t working, it’s just a sign that everyone responds differently to the Covid-19 vaccine. 

Also, you might want to avoid getting tested for COVID-19 for a while after the shot (unless advised by your physician), as the result may likely be positive due to the vaccine. 

To get the vaccine, one needs to register on the CoWIN Portal, or the Aarogya Setu app to get their doses.