What Are the Side Effects of the COVID-19 Vaccine?

Ochsner employees are among the first to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, which is a major step in bringing this pandemic to an end. Rigorous research has demonstrated to the FDA that the vaccine is highly effective and safe. Ochsner employees and patients across the region participated in the Pfizer clinical trial, and our data has, in part, led to the creation of the first COVID-19 vaccine.

You might be wondering about the possible side effects. There’s good news. Current data from COVID-19 vaccine trials support the safety and efficacy of the vaccines. More than 37,000 people have received the COVID-19 vaccine during the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine trials with no significant side effects.

How is the Vaccine Administered?

Like the flu shot, the vaccine is administered into a large muscle in the upper arm or thigh. As with any vaccine, allergic reactions may occur.

The most common side effects reported by vaccine participants in trials conducted by Pfizer and Moderna include:

Pain, redness and/or swelling of the skin where you received the shot
Headache
Fatigue
Muscle pain
Joint pain
Mild fever

These are signs of an immune response to the vaccine and are expected in some patients. The symptoms might last for a few hours or a day or two. Pfizer reports that older adults tended to report fewer and milder side effects than younger people after being vaccinated. Less commonly reported side effects include vomiting or diarrhea.

What if I feel sick after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?

Refer to our symptom tracker to see if you are experiencing an immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine compared to the symptoms of the common cold, flu or the COVID-19 virus. Note: The vaccine does not contain a live virus, and you cannot get the virus from the COVID-19 vaccine.

Contact your provider if you feel ill or experience an adverse effect to your COVID-19 vaccination.

Are there any health restrictions that would prevent me from receiving the vaccine?

Following guidelines from the FDA, no one is excluded from receiving the vaccine, even patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding. The only medical contraindications to receiving this vaccine are severe allergic reaction after a previous dose of this vaccine or severe allergic reaction to components of this vaccine.