Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Safe?

The devastating impact of the pandemic over the previous year has been unprecedented. The arrival of several COVID-19 vaccines in late 2020 and early 2021 was reassuring for many but also raised understandable concerns for others. Given the speed of their development, many people wondered: how safe is the COVID vaccine? As multiple vaccination options became available, the question of which COVID vaccine is safest for individuals also became a commonly-asked query.

Vaccines for Coronavirus: Are They Safe?

At this point, three COVID-19 vaccines in the United States have been approved by the FDA to treat the disease and have all been demonstrated to be safe and highly effective. All vaccines continue to be carefully monitored for new safety developments.

There have been a limited number of reports of myocarditis following the administration of the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines, as well as an even smaller number of cases of rare blood clotting after the J&J vaccine. 

How Has the Safety of the COVID-19 Vaccines Been Proven?

Understanding which is the safest COVID vaccine and understanding which COVID vaccine is safest are questions many people around Woburn ask for themselves and their families. Individuals seeking the vaccines should feel confident that all vaccines have undergone rigorous safety protocols, including the following:

• Extensive testing: All COVID-19 vaccines went through rigorous clinical trials before being available to the general population
• Emergency use authorization: The FDA can authorize certain vaccines or medications — in this case, the coronavirus vaccines — on an emergency use basis before full authorization in order to address an immediate emergency
• Regular monitoring: The CDC and FDA continue to monitor reports of COVID vaccine side effects to keep updated on any concerns that develop

What are the COVID Vaccine Side Effects?

Some individuals experience COVID-19 vaccine side effects from the vaccines; these may include chills, fever, swelling, aches, and fatigue. Side effects should disappear within a couple of days.

Serious Safety Problems Are Uncommon

While significant safety problems are rare, two notable complications have been documented: anaphylaxis, and thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome.

Anaphylaxis

An extremely rare complication of many vaccines — including COVID-19 vaccines — is a severe allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis. It is treatable if it occurs. Because of the small chance of this complication, you will be asked to wait up to a half-hour after vaccination to ensure it does not occur.

Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome

Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia refers to the combination of a blood clot with low platelets and is an extremely rare complication of the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. It is more common in women aged 18-49 and occurs at a rate of seven per 1 million vaccinated women.

Long-Term Side Effects Are Not Likely

When determining which COVID vaccine is safest or the general COVID vaccine safety, it is important to understand that the possibility of long-term side effects is low. The technology has been explored for many years in terms of mRNA vaccines and is considered well understood and safe. Speaking of vaccines generally, side effects typically occur within weeks or months after vaccination, and no long-term effects have thus far been documented with any COVID-19 vaccine.

Is the COVID Vaccine Safe?

All three COVID-19 vaccines approved in the United States have demonstrated remarkable ability in preventing severe illness and death in individuals who contract the coronavirus. While many individuals continue to debate which COVID vaccine is safest, the reality is that all are very safe and effective.ARCpoint Labs of Woburn offers a variety of COVID testing and other testing services in Woburn, MA, and surrounding areas. For more information about vaccine safety or testing services, contact ARCpoint Labs of Woburn today.