Although cases of severe side effects from coronavirus vaccines exist, they remain rare, explained Dr Jean-Claude Schmit. Reactions like pain in the arm where the vaccine was administered or general fever can be classified as “simple” side effects. However, should the body display a stronger reaction, people are advised to seek medical advice, underlined Dr Schmit.
He elaborated: “Over the past months and after more than a million injections, we received 2,042 alerts of serious side effects, out of which 462 were classified as severe according to European standards. Nevertheless, that does not mean that there is proof in each case that the vaccine was really responsible for the reaction.”
Dr Schmit also provided insight into the cases that doctors must declare, which include hospitalisations of people who develop myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. Patients can also declare side effects themselves with the help of a form, after which the Health Directorate investigates the case.
If a person suffered from severe side effects after the first jab, they can request an exemption certificate: “Doctors can issue these certificates, but there will be a check of each case to assess whether there is also a risk for complications from other vaccines.”
The exemption certificate, which thus allows people to enter CovidCheck areas given they test negative, only works on a national level, emphasised Dr Schmit.
For more information on the coronavirus vaccines, please consult this link.
