Some people may have some discomfort in the days following their vaccination. This is common and is a sign that the body’s immune system is working. These discomforts should only last a few days and may include:
- Pain or redness where the shot was given
- Soreness in the arm where the shot was given
- Fatigue
- Chills
- Fever
- Swollen lymph nodes in armpits/neck area (lymphadenopathy)
This does not mean the vaccine recipient has COVID-19. There is no live virus in the vaccine.
If you develop a cough, sore throat or runny nose, current monitoring and testing guidelines for COVID-19 should continue to be followed. If your symptoms are life-threatening, go to the emergency room or call 911.
Anyone who has gotten the vaccine is encouraged to participate in v-safe (https://vsafe.cdc.gov/), an after-vaccination health checker that works on a smartphone.
Anyone who may be experiencing a bad reaction should contact a healthcare provider and report it via the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which you can find here: https://vaers.hhs.gov/esub/index.jsp.