It’s ‘normal’ to feel unwell after getting one of the two Covid jabs being rolled out, doctors have said.
Side effects from the jabs currently being administered in the UK are ‘very common’ according to official guidance.
These can include tiredness, pain as well as flu-like symptoms, but doctors have said they are normally nothing to worry about.
Prof Martin Marshall, from the Royal College of GPs, was reported to have said: “Patients should be assured that both Covid-19 vaccines currently being used in the UK have gone through a rigorous process to ensure they are both safe and effective.
“It is normal, as with most vaccinations, for some patients to experience mild side-effects.
“If required, we would recommend that patients treat these with painkillers, such as paracetamol.”
The mass inoculation drive across the UK has so far seen more than 22.8 million people given the jab.
According to Public Health England it takes a few weeks to develop immunity to coronavirus after receiving the jab.
Both the Pfizer and Oxford AstraZeneca jabs have to be administered twice to a patient before they are fully vaccinated, although one injection still provides some immunity.
Official UK government guidance says that the vaccines can cause side effects ‘like all medicines.’
It says that most of these are ‘are mild and short-term, and not everyone gets them’ and that even if you have symptoms after the first dose you still need the second jab.
The ‘very common’ side effects include:
-A painful, heavy feeling and tenderness and tenderness in the arm where you had the injection, which tends to be worse about one or two days after the vaccination.
-Feeling tired
-A headache
-General aches or mild flu-like symptoms
Although feeling feverish is not uncommon for up to three days, a high temperature is unusual and could mean you have Covid or another infection.
One uncommon side effect is swelling of the glands.
Advice on recovering from the mild symptoms is to get rest and take a normal dose of paracetamol.
People should be able to resume normal activities if you feel well but if the arm is particularly sore it might be difficult doing any heavy lifting.
Anybody feeling unwell or very tired should rest and avoid operating machinery or driving, the advice says.
The symptoms are said to usually last less than a week, but if they get worse or you are concerned call the NHS on 111.