Abeer Fatimaover 4 years ago

Common Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines

As of April 24th, 2021, there are 145216414 confirmed cases of COVID-19 spread across 223 countries and territories. There are 3079390 confirmed deaths. Many companies have developed vaccines with varying efficacies for prevention of COVID-19. Till date, 13 vaccines are authorized to be used for the said purpose. The aim of administering vaccine is to activate T and B lymphocytes in order to combat the virus and produce antibodies, respectively. Since no vaccine contains the complete form of virus, therefore, it can not cause Coronavirus Infectious Disease. However, few common side effects may appear in few recipients. Most common among them are: -fatigue -fever -body pains -headaches -chills -nausea -reaction on injection site These side effects are self-limited and lasts for few days. Analgesics maybe used to manage the pain on injection sire. The reaction of COVID-19 vaccine on injection site is known as ‘COVID arm’. It is characterized by mild to moderate irritation, itch, rash, pain, and swelling on injection site. In rare case, anaphylactic shock can occur. However, the incidence of anaphylaxis secondary to COVID-19 vaccine is 2-5 people per million. This reaction is mostly attributed to presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) in the vaccine. Even though vaccination against COVID-19 does not ensure 100 % safety against infection, it is advised to get vaccinated unless specified otherwise in certain medical condition. Social distancing and use of masks are imperative to curb the spread of COVID-19. Reference: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIupDbgr2X8AIVTOrtCh2CdQCtEAAYASAAEgJGe_D_BwE https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/global-covid-19-vaccine-summary-side-effects#Allergic-reactions-and-anaphylaxis Image courtesy: https://www.dawn.com/news/1599449