Time for vaccination against COVID-19

Vaccination is essential for everyone's health and in the context of a pandemic, vaccination will play an even more important role. Find out what is known so far about the vaccines against COVID-19.

Is it safe to take the COVID-19 vaccine? 

Yes, each vaccine that comes to the market, in Portugal, has been studied by working groups and specialists on the subject, and the approval of a vaccine guarantees that it is not only effective, but also safe.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

All medicines can have adverse effects and these vaccines are no exception. As with most vaccines, there may be a slight increase in temperature, pain and redness at the site, a sign that our immune system is building up defences against this disease. Any other effect that may occur should be reported. Ask your pharmacist for help.

In the news they mention that there may be serious adverse effects - is this true?

As with any medicine, some people may have more severe adverse reactions, and this is a characteristic of the person, not the vaccine. If you usually have more severe reactions to other vaccines you should inform your doctor and the healthcare professional who gave you the vaccine.

If I get the vaccine can I get COVID-19?

No. Any vaccine, when given, should cause a response from the immune system directed against a particular infectious agent. In this way immunity (protection) is created against a particular disease. Vaccines have a preventative function, they do not cause disease.

Have clinical trials been done on a few people compromising safety?

No - the first vaccines to reach the market have been tested on over 30,000 people.

How was it possible to develop vaccines so quickly?

Although COVID-19 is a recent disease, coronaviruses are not, which allowed the rapid identification of some vaccines that could perform well. There was also almost complete sharing of information between the different research groups. All the necessary steps to ensure the safety and efficacy of this vaccine were taken, with analysis of the data obtained after each phase of trials instead of analysing all the data only at the end of the process, allowing the time to approval to be shortened.

It is said that the first mRNA vaccines were never used. Are they safe?

Although there are no vaccines with this technology yet, it has been studied for the last 15 years and is considered safe.

OK, SO I GET THE VACCINE - NOW WHAT?

Vaccines against COVID-19 are expected to play a key role in preventing infection and illness with symptoms, but there is still uncertainty about their role in group immunity and the duration of immunity resulting from vaccination. Thus, it is important to maintain preventive measures: social distancing and the use of masks whenever this distancing is not possible and in closed or poorly ventilated public spaces; frequent and correct hand washing or disinfection; and respiratory etiquette measures.

Sources
iSaúde
Farmácia Distribuição Magazine

3x

1x

2x

6x