Three new "common side effects" from the Covid vaccine have been added to the official list.
More than 18 million people in England have already had one dose of the vaccine - over a third of the entire adult population.
The latest figures show that across the UK, nearly 21.4 million people have now had one dose, with more than a million now having had both doses required.
The aim is to vaccinate everyone aged 18 or over in the UK with one dose by the end of July, and the government says it is on track to make this deadline.
Some people are still wondering what the side effects of the vaccine might be.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has just updated its list of Covid vaccine side effects, listing muscle pain, nausea and redness at the injection site.
Muscle pain
The CDC updated its vaccine guidance on March 5 and listed muscle pain among “common side effects”.
According to the CDC this is a distinct symptom from the pain you may experience in the arm you got your jab in.
Nausea
Nausea was also added to the CDC’s list. Nausea is a term used to describe feeling sick.
If the feeling doesn’t go away after a few days, or the feeling keeps coming back, see a GP.
Redness at the injection site
Redness at the injection site, post-vaccine, was listed as another new side effect to look out for.
In rare cases, this site effect may even show up significantly after you receive your inoculation.
According to a March 3 letter published by The New England Journal of Medicine, some people have experienced a large, red, itchy and painful reaction at their vaccination site up to 11 days after receiving the Moderna vaccine.
Other “common side effects” listed by the CDC include:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Tiredness
- Headache
- Chills
- Fever
The US health institute explains side effects are normal signs our body is building protection.
Some people may not experience side effects.
It adds: “Talk to your doctor about taking over-the-counter medicine, such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin, or antihistamines, for any pain and discomfort you may experience after getting vaccinated.
“You can take these medications to relieve post-vaccination side effects if you have no other medical reasons that prevent you from taking these medications normally.
“It is not recommended you take these medicines before vaccination for the purpose of trying to prevent side effects.”
It says to reduce pain and discomfort where you got the vaccine, apply a clean, cool, wet washcloth over the area and use or exercise your arm.
To reduce discomfort from fever, drink plenty of fluids and dress lightly.
If the redness or tenderness where you got the vaccine gets worse after 24 hours, or if your side effects are worrying you or don’t seem to be going away after a few days, call your doctor.
The NHS advises telling healthcare staff before you are vaccinated if you’ve ever had a serious allergic reaction.
The health body warns: “You should not have the COVID-19 vaccine if you have ever had a serious allergic reaction (including anaphylaxis) to a previous dose of the same vaccine or any of the ingredients in the vaccine.
“Serious allergic reactions are rare. If you do have a reaction to the vaccine, it usually happens in minutes. Staff giving the vaccine are trained to deal with allergic reactions and treat them immediately.”
Will the vaccine protect you?
The COVID-19 vaccine that you have had has been shown to reduce the chance of you suffering from COVID-19 disease.
Each vaccine has been tested in more than 20,000 people in several different countries and shown to be safe.
It may take a week or two for your body to build up some protection from the first dose of vaccine. Like all medicines, no vaccine is completely effective, so you should continue to take recommended precautions to avoid infection.
Some people may still get COVID-19 despite having a vaccination, but this should be less severe.
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