What You Need to Know About How Safe the COVID-19 Vaccine Is

As a law firm, we understand how important safety and health are for you and your loved ones, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. With vaccines rolling out and many people being eligible to receive the shots, you might be wondering how safe they are. That’s why we’ve looked into the safety of these vaccines so that you can feel comfortable receiving them before getting back out into the public.

Is the Vaccine Safe?

In short, yes! In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that this vaccine has been one of the most closely monitored for safety in history. The safety monitoring systems being used are both the ones that have historically been in place as well as new systems specifically to monitor the COVID-19 vaccine. Clinical trials of the vaccines included tens of thousands of participants, which shows that they were extensively tested.

You might be worried after learning that this vaccine isn’t a dormant form of the novel coronavirus, but instead uses mRNA technology. However, you shouldn’t be worried about the mRNA unwinding your DNA—that’s not how it works! An mRNA vaccine works by giving a coding sequence to your immunity cells so that they can create a new protein, and then the vaccine breaks down and disappears. This remaining protein stays in your immune system so that it can learn how to prevent future infection from COVID-19.

If you’re still concerned because they receive emergency use authorization (EUA), we understand your hesitation. That could make anyone worried. But rest assured, these vaccines were still approved by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality because they met the FDA’s rigorous scientific standards.

At the time of publication, there have been over 126 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered to Americans. Many of these people had no side effects, although there are some side effects that are possible after receiving the doses of the vaccine. Let’s take a look at those side effects so that you can be fully informed.

Side Effects of the COVID-19 Vaccine

Even though the vaccines are safe, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any side effects. Just like any vaccine, there are potential side effects that you could experience, and most are mild. Here are some of the most common side effects that you can expect after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, as listed by the CDC:

• Swelling, redness, and pain at the injection site
• Fever
• Headache
• Tiredness and fatigue
• Muscle pain and aches
• Chills
• Nausea

These can last a day or two, but if they last longer, you should talk to your doctor.

You likely recognize these side effects as being the same as almost any other vaccine you’ve received before, especially the flu shot. Of course, there is also the possibility of a severe allergic reaction, but this is nothing new. It’s possible for someone to have an allergic reaction to any new medication, food, or product in their life.

Only in rare cases are there severe allergic reactions to the vaccine. That’s why it’s important for you to monitor your injection site and how your body feels. As soon as you think you’re having an adverse reaction or an allergic reaction to the vaccine, you should alert the administers of your dose or doses because they have medication to counteract your reaction.

Before you go get the vaccine, you should look up the ingredients so that you can determine if any of them are ingredients you know you’re severely allergic to. If that’s the case, you should consult your doctor on what the best course of action is for you.

As these vaccines roll out, we get closer and closer to getting back to normal. By getting the COVID-19 vaccine, you’ll be helping keep yourself, your family members, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations safe.