This article summarizes the known side effects of the 13 authorized vaccines and provides insight into risks that researchers are still investigating.
Currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines
The table below gives an overview of the 13 authorized vaccines, categorized by type, based on how they function. It also shows their efficacy. Each of the following vaccines has received use authorization in at least one country.
|
Name |
Manufacturer |
Type of vaccine |
Efficacy rate |
|
BNT162b2 |
Pfizer-BioNTech |
mRNA |
95% |
|
mRNA-1273 |
Moderna |
mRNA |
94.5% |
|
Ad26.COV2.S |
Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) |
Viral vector |
66% |
|
AZD1222 |
Oxford-AstraZeneca |
Viral vector |
81.3% |
|
Covishield* |
Serum Institute of India |
Viral vector |
81.3% |
|
Ad5-nCov |
CanSino |
Viral vector |
65.28% |
|
Sputnik V |
Gamaleya |
Viral vector |
91.6% |
|
Covaxin |
Bharat Biotech |
Inactivated |
80.6% |
|
BBIBP-CorV |
Sinopharm (Beijing) |
Inactivated |
79.34% |
|
Inactivated (Vero Cell) |
Sinopharm (Wuhan) |
Inactivated |
72.51% |
|
CoronaVac |
Sinovac |
Inactivated |
50.38% |
|
RBD-dimer |
Anhui Zhifei Longcom |
Protein subunit |
Unknown |
|
EpiVacCorona |
FBRI |
Protein subunit |
Unknown |
Common side effects
Vaccines allow the body to build immunity by activating T and B lymphocytes, cells that, respectively, recognize the targeted virus and produce antibodies to combat it.
A vaccine cannot cause COVID-19. No vaccine contains a complete form of the virus responsible for this illness.
While their body builds immunity, it is normal for a person to experience minor side effects.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source and the World Health Organization (WHO)Trusted Source, common side effects of a COVID-19 vaccine include:
• a fever
• fatigue
• headaches
• body aches
• chills
• nausea
A person might also experience side effects around the injection site, which is usually the upper arm. These might include swelling, pain, redness, an itchy rash, and other mild forms of irritation. People sometimes refer to this issue as COVID armTrusted Source.
Health authorities recognize that each of the 13 authorized COVID-19 vaccines can cause side effects. These are often mild and last for only a few days. They are not unexpected.
Every vaccine facility in the United States has to report specific post-vaccination symptoms, known as adverse events, to the government’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Individuals can also submit reports through the VAERS portal.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)Trusted Source, CDCTrusted Source, and other regulatory agencies are closely monitoring VAERS to scrutinize the safety of the vaccines used in the U.S.
Similar systems are in place in other countries. In the United Kingdom, for example, the scheme is called Yellow Card. The European Union asks people to report suspected side effects to their healthcare practitioners or fill out dedicated online forms.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com
