Headache, pain at injection site top adverse reactions following COVID-19 jab —expert

Headache and pain at the injection site were some of the most common adverse events following immunization (AEFI) reported by individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccine, an expert said Tuesday.

Dr. Eileen Alikpala Cuajunco of the National AEFI Committee stressed that most adverse reactions following vaccination are “mild and of limited duration.”

“Not all reported adverse events are caused by the vaccines,” she said.

The most commonly reported AEFI by those who got the Sinovac jab were increased blood pressure, headache, pain at the injection site, dizziness, and rashes.

For the AstraZeneca vaccine, the top AEFI were fever, headache, pain at the vaccination site, chills, and muscle pains.

Cuajunco said it takes anywhere from a few minutes to several days for side effects to manifest, “but it’s transient and it tells you that your immune response is working.”

“Knowing that you can have an allergy or you can have pain at the injection site, it is not recommended to pre-medicate with an anti-allergy or take paracetamol before the vaccine. We would like to see if you really have a reaction,” she said.

The Philippines has vaccinated over 1.2 million individuals as of April 17. 

The Department of Health earlier said over 24,000 suspected AEFI cases had been recorded as of April 11, most of which were non-serious. —KBK, GMA News