After months of anticipation, the first coronavirus vaccine is finally being rolled out in the UK from today.
Vaccinations have started with the most elderly, people in care homes and their carers, before coming down the age range, with NHS staff and the clinically extremely vulnerable also high on the priority list.
If you’re considering the Covid-19 vaccine, you may have concerns about any potential side effects.
Like all vaccines, the Covid-19 vaccine can cause side effects, although most are mild and go away within a few days.
The UK government explained: “Most side effects are mild or moderate and go away within a few days of appearing. If side effects such as pain and/or fever are troublesome, they can be treated by medicines for pain and fever such as paracetamol.
Side effects can be split into three main groups - those that are very common (affect more than 1 in 10 people), common (affect up to 1 in 10 people), and uncommon (affect up to 1 in 100 people).
Very common side effects
- Pain at injection site
- Tiredness
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Chills
- Joint pain
- Fever
Common side effects
- Injection site swelling
- Redness at injection site
- Nausea
Uncommon side effects
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Feeling unwell
If you experience any side effects after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
You can also report side effects directly via the Coronavirus Yellow Card reporting site here.
The UK government added: “By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this vaccine.”
