Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon Side EffectsWhen They AppearDurationHow Common Are They?Rare Complications

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Common Side Effects

When They Appear

Duration

How Common Are They?

Rare Complications

It is not uncommon to experience side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine, most of which are relatively mild and short-lived. These commonly include side effects you might experience with other vaccines, such as injection site pain, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms.

The side effects (and risk of side effects) can vary based on thetype of vaccineyou are given and whether this is your first or subsequent shot. Many people who receive a COVID vaccine experience no side effects.

Although there is a risk of severe side effects, including heart inflammation andanaphylaxis, the risk is considered small compared to the benefits. According to research from Columbia University, COVID-19 vaccination in the U.S. averted no less than 8.3 million infections, 681,000 hospitalizations, and 118,000 deaths from 2021 to 2022.

An illustration with timeline for potential vaccine side effects

What Are the Common Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines?

Although mRNA vaccines (which deliver genetic instructions to theimmune systemon how to build protectiveantibodies) and protein subunit vaccines (which expose the immune system to harmless, manufactured proteins that mimic COVID-19) work differently, their common side effects are similar.

Pfizer-BioNTech, ModernaInjection site pain and rednessFatigueHeadacheMuscle painJoint painChillsFeverNausea or vomiting (Moderna)Crying, decreased appetite, and sleepiness in toddlers and infantsNovavaxInjection site pain and rednessFatigueHeadacheMuscle painJoint painChillsFeverNausea or vomiting

Pfizer-BioNTech, ModernaInjection site pain and rednessFatigueHeadacheMuscle painJoint painChillsFeverNausea or vomiting (Moderna)Crying, decreased appetite, and sleepiness in toddlers and infants

Injection site pain and redness

Fatigue

Headache

Muscle pain

Joint pain

Chills

Fever

Nausea or vomiting (Moderna)

Crying, decreased appetite, and sleepiness in toddlers and infants

NovavaxInjection site pain and rednessFatigueHeadacheMuscle painJoint painChillsFeverNausea or vomiting

Nausea or vomiting

How Quickly Do Side Effects Develop?

In the same way that some people experience side effects from COVID vaccines and others don’t, the timing of side effects, if any, can also vary.

For most, side effects tend to appear within 14 hours of the first vaccination and slightly longer for subsequent vaccinations.

In a very small group of people, side effects may occur within minutes. An immediate reaction is troubling as it may be the sign of a potentially life-threatening, whole-body allergy known asanaphylaxis. The sooner a reaction occurs, the more likely this will be.

This is why healthcare providers will often ask you to wait 15 minutes after vaccination before leaving so that treatment can be dispensed if anaphylaxis symptoms occur.

Even so, the risk of this occurring is relatively small. While as many as 2% of people who get a COVID vaccine will experience a rash,only a very small proportion will experience anaphylaxis. According to a 2023 study from Harvard Medical School, the rate of anaphylaxis among COVID vaccine recipients is roughly five cases out of every million doses.

Seek Emergency CareCall 911 if you have—or think you have—signs of anaphylaxis, such as shortness of breath and swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat. In some cases, death from anaphylaxis has been known to occur within 15 minutes.

Seek Emergency Care

Call 911 if you have—or think you have—signs of anaphylaxis, such as shortness of breath and swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat. In some cases, death from anaphylaxis has been known to occur within 15 minutes.

How Long Do Side Effects Last?

Symptoms severe enough to require missing work or school are uncommon. A 2021 study from the Mayo Clinic reported that the rate of absenteeism among healthcare workers who received the COVID vaccine was 4.1%.

Side effects can persist longer than this, though it is uncommon for these to last more than a week or two. In rare cases, a person may develop long post-COVID vaccination syndrome (LPCVS), defined as side effects lasting for more than four weeks in the absence of any other explanation. Some cases have been reported to last as long as 11 months.

Symptoms typically include persistent headache, joint pain, muscle cramps, insomnia, visual disturbances, and “brain fog.”

Even so, LPCVS is thought to be rare. To date, few cases have been reported in the medical literature.

How Common Are Side Effects From COVID-19 Vaccines?

In the early part of the pandemic, most people experienced side effects from the vaccines. This was largely due to the fact that people were exposed to the vaccines for the first time and would almost invariably have a stronger immune reaction. Certain vaccines that are delivered in one dose today were given in two doses then.

At that time, up to 77% experienced side effects after the first dose and up to 86% after the second dose. The majority had low-grade side effects, like fatigue and fever.

Of the three available vaccines, Novavax is the only one to require two doses in adults and children 12 and over.

Severe Side Effects and Complications

In addition to a risk of anaphylaxis, the other potentially severe side effects aremyocarditis(inflammation of the heart muscle) andpericarditis(inflammation of the outer lining of the heart).

These side effects are mainly seen in males age 12 to 40. Although the exact cause of these is poorly understood, most cases occur within seven days of receiving a second dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty or Spikevax).

There is also some evidence that vaccination with the Novavax protein subunit vaccine might increase the risk of this side effect.

Myocarditis and pericarditis are rare, and occur more often in people infected with COVID than in those who get vaccinated, meaning the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks:

Moreover, most cases are relatively mild and transient.

Symptoms of vaccine-induced myocarditis or pericarditis typically require hospitalization to monitor for rare but potentially deadly complications likecardiac arrhythmia(irregular heartbeats) andcardiac arrest(in which the heart suddenly stops beating).

With that said, most people respond well to rest and medications likecolchicine,steroids, ornonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Can the COVID-19 Vaccine Kill You?Of the small handful of people who experienced cardiac arrest and death after COVID vaccination, a 2024 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that all had underlying risk factors for heart disease-related death independent of COVID-19 vaccination.Among young people who experienced myocarditis or pericarditis after vaccination, no risk of cardiac arrest or death was found.

Can the COVID-19 Vaccine Kill You?

Of the small handful of people who experienced cardiac arrest and death after COVID vaccination, a 2024 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that all had underlying risk factors for heart disease-related death independent of COVID-19 vaccination.Among young people who experienced myocarditis or pericarditis after vaccination, no risk of cardiac arrest or death was found.

Of the small handful of people who experienced cardiac arrest and death after COVID vaccination, a 2024 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that all had underlying risk factors for heart disease-related death independent of COVID-19 vaccination.

Among young people who experienced myocarditis or pericarditis after vaccination, no risk of cardiac arrest or death was found.

Summary

Common side effects of COVID-19 vaccines include injection site pain, fatigue, muscle aches, joint pain, fever, and headaches. Most cases are mild, developing within 14 hours of the injection and resolving within one to four days. Severe side effects are rare.

The current body of evidence suggests that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the potential risks.

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.

18 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Heart Association.What is pericarditis?Yamana TK, Galanti M, Pei S, et al.The impact of COVID-19 vaccination in the US: averted burden of SARS-COV-2-related cases, hospitalizations and deaths.PLoS One.2023;18(4):e0275699. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0275699Raethke M, van Hunsel F, Luxi N, et al.Frequency and timing of adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines; a multi-country cohort event monitoring study,Vaccine. 2024;42(9):2357-2369. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.001Picard M, Stone CA, Greenhawt M.Management of patients with immediate reactions to COVID-19 vaccines.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2023 Feb;151(2):413–415. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2022.09.003MedlinePlus.Allergic reactions.Jaggers J, Wolfson AR.mRNA COVID-19 vaccine anaphylaxis: epidemiology, risk factors, and evaluation.Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2023;23(3):195–200. doi:10.1007/s11882-023-01065-2John Hopkins Medicine.COVID-19 vaccine: what you need to know.Breeher LE, Wolf ME, Geyer H, et al.Work absence following COVID-19 vaccination in a cohort of healthcare personnel.J Occup Environ Med.2022 Jan;64(1):6–9. doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000002376Finsterer J.A case report: long post-COVID vaccination syndrome during the eleven months after the third Moderna dose.Cureus.2022 Dec;14(12):e32433. doi:10.7759/cureus.32433Finterer J, Scorza FA.A retrospective analysis of clinically confirmed long post-COVID vaccination syndrome.J Clin Transl Res.2022 Dec 29;8(6):506–508.Amer SA, Al-Zahrani A, Imam EA, et al.Exploring the reported adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines among vaccinated Arab populations: a multi-national survey study. 2024;14:4785. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-54886-0Li Y, Li J, Dang Y, Chen Y, Tao C.Adverse events of COVID-19 vaccines in the United States: temporal and spatial analysis.JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2024;10:e51007 doi:10.2196/5100Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Interim considerations: preparing for the potential management of anaphylaxis after COVID-19 vaccination.American Heart Association.Myocarditis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical considerations: myocarditis and pericarditis after receipt of COVID-19 vaccines among adolescents and young adults.Fairchild D, Beetler DJ, Di Florio DN, et al.COVID-19, myocarditis and pericarditis.Circulation Res.2023;32(10). doi:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.123.321878Liko J, Cieslak PR.Assessment of risk for sudden cardiac death among adolescents and young Adults after receipt of COVID-19 vaccine — Oregon, June 2021–December 2022.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024 Apr 11;73(14):317–320. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7314a5Liko J, Cieslak PR.Assessment of risk for sudden cardiac death among adolescents and young adults after receipt of COVID-19 vaccine — Oregon, June 2021–December 2022.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73:317–320. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7314a5

18 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Heart Association.What is pericarditis?Yamana TK, Galanti M, Pei S, et al.The impact of COVID-19 vaccination in the US: averted burden of SARS-COV-2-related cases, hospitalizations and deaths.PLoS One.2023;18(4):e0275699. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0275699Raethke M, van Hunsel F, Luxi N, et al.Frequency and timing of adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines; a multi-country cohort event monitoring study,Vaccine. 2024;42(9):2357-2369. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.001Picard M, Stone CA, Greenhawt M.Management of patients with immediate reactions to COVID-19 vaccines.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2023 Feb;151(2):413–415. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2022.09.003MedlinePlus.Allergic reactions.Jaggers J, Wolfson AR.mRNA COVID-19 vaccine anaphylaxis: epidemiology, risk factors, and evaluation.Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2023;23(3):195–200. doi:10.1007/s11882-023-01065-2John Hopkins Medicine.COVID-19 vaccine: what you need to know.Breeher LE, Wolf ME, Geyer H, et al.Work absence following COVID-19 vaccination in a cohort of healthcare personnel.J Occup Environ Med.2022 Jan;64(1):6–9. doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000002376Finsterer J.A case report: long post-COVID vaccination syndrome during the eleven months after the third Moderna dose.Cureus.2022 Dec;14(12):e32433. doi:10.7759/cureus.32433Finterer J, Scorza FA.A retrospective analysis of clinically confirmed long post-COVID vaccination syndrome.J Clin Transl Res.2022 Dec 29;8(6):506–508.Amer SA, Al-Zahrani A, Imam EA, et al.Exploring the reported adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines among vaccinated Arab populations: a multi-national survey study. 2024;14:4785. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-54886-0Li Y, Li J, Dang Y, Chen Y, Tao C.Adverse events of COVID-19 vaccines in the United States: temporal and spatial analysis.JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2024;10:e51007 doi:10.2196/5100Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Interim considerations: preparing for the potential management of anaphylaxis after COVID-19 vaccination.American Heart Association.Myocarditis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical considerations: myocarditis and pericarditis after receipt of COVID-19 vaccines among adolescents and young adults.Fairchild D, Beetler DJ, Di Florio DN, et al.COVID-19, myocarditis and pericarditis.Circulation Res.2023;32(10). doi:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.123.321878Liko J, Cieslak PR.Assessment of risk for sudden cardiac death among adolescents and young Adults after receipt of COVID-19 vaccine — Oregon, June 2021–December 2022.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024 Apr 11;73(14):317–320. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7314a5Liko J, Cieslak PR.Assessment of risk for sudden cardiac death among adolescents and young adults after receipt of COVID-19 vaccine — Oregon, June 2021–December 2022.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73:317–320. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7314a5

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American Heart Association.What is pericarditis?Yamana TK, Galanti M, Pei S, et al.The impact of COVID-19 vaccination in the US: averted burden of SARS-COV-2-related cases, hospitalizations and deaths.PLoS One.2023;18(4):e0275699. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0275699Raethke M, van Hunsel F, Luxi N, et al.Frequency and timing of adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines; a multi-country cohort event monitoring study,Vaccine. 2024;42(9):2357-2369. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.001Picard M, Stone CA, Greenhawt M.Management of patients with immediate reactions to COVID-19 vaccines.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2023 Feb;151(2):413–415. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2022.09.003MedlinePlus.Allergic reactions.Jaggers J, Wolfson AR.mRNA COVID-19 vaccine anaphylaxis: epidemiology, risk factors, and evaluation.Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2023;23(3):195–200. doi:10.1007/s11882-023-01065-2John Hopkins Medicine.COVID-19 vaccine: what you need to know.Breeher LE, Wolf ME, Geyer H, et al.Work absence following COVID-19 vaccination in a cohort of healthcare personnel.J Occup Environ Med.2022 Jan;64(1):6–9. doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000002376Finsterer J.A case report: long post-COVID vaccination syndrome during the eleven months after the third Moderna dose.Cureus.2022 Dec;14(12):e32433. doi:10.7759/cureus.32433Finterer J, Scorza FA.A retrospective analysis of clinically confirmed long post-COVID vaccination syndrome.J Clin Transl Res.2022 Dec 29;8(6):506–508.Amer SA, Al-Zahrani A, Imam EA, et al.Exploring the reported adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines among vaccinated Arab populations: a multi-national survey study. 2024;14:4785. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-54886-0Li Y, Li J, Dang Y, Chen Y, Tao C.Adverse events of COVID-19 vaccines in the United States: temporal and spatial analysis.JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2024;10:e51007 doi:10.2196/5100Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Interim considerations: preparing for the potential management of anaphylaxis after COVID-19 vaccination.American Heart Association.Myocarditis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical considerations: myocarditis and pericarditis after receipt of COVID-19 vaccines among adolescents and young adults.Fairchild D, Beetler DJ, Di Florio DN, et al.COVID-19, myocarditis and pericarditis.Circulation Res.2023;32(10). doi:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.123.321878Liko J, Cieslak PR.Assessment of risk for sudden cardiac death among adolescents and young Adults after receipt of COVID-19 vaccine — Oregon, June 2021–December 2022.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024 Apr 11;73(14):317–320. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7314a5Liko J, Cieslak PR.Assessment of risk for sudden cardiac death among adolescents and young adults after receipt of COVID-19 vaccine — Oregon, June 2021–December 2022.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73:317–320. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7314a5

American Heart Association.What is pericarditis?

Yamana TK, Galanti M, Pei S, et al.The impact of COVID-19 vaccination in the US: averted burden of SARS-COV-2-related cases, hospitalizations and deaths.PLoS One.2023;18(4):e0275699. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0275699

Raethke M, van Hunsel F, Luxi N, et al.Frequency and timing of adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines; a multi-country cohort event monitoring study,Vaccine. 2024;42(9):2357-2369. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.001

Picard M, Stone CA, Greenhawt M.Management of patients with immediate reactions to COVID-19 vaccines.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2023 Feb;151(2):413–415. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2022.09.003

MedlinePlus.Allergic reactions.

Jaggers J, Wolfson AR.mRNA COVID-19 vaccine anaphylaxis: epidemiology, risk factors, and evaluation.Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2023;23(3):195–200. doi:10.1007/s11882-023-01065-2

John Hopkins Medicine.COVID-19 vaccine: what you need to know.

Breeher LE, Wolf ME, Geyer H, et al.Work absence following COVID-19 vaccination in a cohort of healthcare personnel.J Occup Environ Med.2022 Jan;64(1):6–9. doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000002376

Finsterer J.A case report: long post-COVID vaccination syndrome during the eleven months after the third Moderna dose.Cureus.2022 Dec;14(12):e32433. doi:10.7759/cureus.32433

Finterer J, Scorza FA.A retrospective analysis of clinically confirmed long post-COVID vaccination syndrome.J Clin Transl Res.2022 Dec 29;8(6):506–508.

Amer SA, Al-Zahrani A, Imam EA, et al.Exploring the reported adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines among vaccinated Arab populations: a multi-national survey study. 2024;14:4785. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-54886-0

Li Y, Li J, Dang Y, Chen Y, Tao C.Adverse events of COVID-19 vaccines in the United States: temporal and spatial analysis.JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2024;10:e51007 doi:10.2196/5100

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Interim considerations: preparing for the potential management of anaphylaxis after COVID-19 vaccination.

American Heart Association.Myocarditis.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical considerations: myocarditis and pericarditis after receipt of COVID-19 vaccines among adolescents and young adults.

Fairchild D, Beetler DJ, Di Florio DN, et al.COVID-19, myocarditis and pericarditis.Circulation Res.2023;32(10). doi:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.123.321878

Liko J, Cieslak PR.Assessment of risk for sudden cardiac death among adolescents and young Adults after receipt of COVID-19 vaccine — Oregon, June 2021–December 2022.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024 Apr 11;73(14):317–320. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7314a5

Liko J, Cieslak PR.Assessment of risk for sudden cardiac death among adolescents and young adults after receipt of COVID-19 vaccine — Oregon, June 2021–December 2022.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73:317–320. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7314a5

Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

What is your feedback?