Side effects after vaccination

Vaccines train the immune system without you having to go through the full illness. Pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle aches or mild fever are common and usually disappear within a few days. Serious reactions are rare.

• A symptom after vaccination is not automatically caused by the vaccine; timing, symptom type and other possible causes are considered.
• Local pain and swelling usually start within a day. Fever and feeling generally unwell may start at a different time depending on the vaccine.
• Rest, fluids, moving your arm and a cool compress may help. Take fever or pain medicine only if needed and safe for you.
• A severe allergic reaction usually develops quickly, with breathing difficulty, swelling of the tongue or throat, widespread hives, dizziness or loss of consciousness: call 912.
• Always have a baby under three months with fever assessed the same day, even if the fever started after vaccination.
• New severe, persistent or unexpected symptoms need assessment; do not wait simply because vaccination was recent.
• Do not stop a vaccination course yourself after a reaction. Discuss what happened and whether the next dose is safe, should be delayed or needs adjusting.
• Keep the vaccine name, date and, if possible, batch number, and report a suspected serious side effect through the vaccination provider or local reporting system.