How long do the side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine last?

The national health department says it's normal to get minor side effects after getting vaccinated.

These include soreness or redness of the arm where it was injected, tiredness and muscle ache. These side effects can last up to three days or a week at most. 

The department on Monday called on people who are experiencing persistent and serious side effects to report them to health professionals. 

The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) says not everyone who gets the jab experiences side effects. 

Uncommon and serious side effects include difficulty breathing, swelling of the face and throat, a fast heartbeat, dizziness and weakness, and a bad body rash. 

“These serious side effects from vaccines are extremely rare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to be monitored for 15 minutes after vaccination, and those with a history of other allergies for 30 minutes, so they can be monitored and treated immediately if they have a reaction,” says NICD.

The NICD has created an app to help report adverse effects of the vaccine. The Med Safety App is available on iOS and Android operating systems. 

“The app is designed to simplify and promote the reporting of suspected AEFIs by both the public and healthcare providers. The app also allows the public and healthcare providers to learn about medicine safety news from Sahpra, thereby creating an awareness of medicines and their potential adverse effects.”

The institute advisedpeople who have had Covid-19 but are either asymptomatic or have had mild symptoms to get the jab. Likewise those who had side effects after the first jab.

“If the side effects following the first dose were mild or moderate, a person should have the second vaccination. However, if there was a severe allergic reaction to the first dose, then the second dose isn’t advisable. With that said, please discuss your options with your healthcare provider as each case would need to be carefully assessed”.

SA administered 35,481 J&J vaccines and 182, 271 Pfizer vaccines across the country in the last 24-hour cycle.