What happens after I am vaccinated for COVID-19?
COVID-19 vaccination is not a cure-all or a complete substitute for safe behaviour. It should supplement other public health rules and guidelines.
After you are vaccinated, COVID-safe measures remain in place. These include:
- testing
- contact tracing
- quarantine
- isolation.
To continue to protect others you still need to:
- practise good hygiene
- practise physical distancing
- follow the limits for public gatherings
- understand how to isolate if you need to.
What if I have a reaction to the vaccine?
You may experience minor side effects following vaccination. Most side effects last no more than a couple of days and you will recover without any problems.
Common reactions to vaccination include:
- pain, redness and/or swelling where you received the needle
- mild fever
- headache.
Serious reactions such as allergic reactions are extremely rare. They usually occur within 15 minutes of receiving a vaccine. After you receive your vaccine, you should wait this amount of time before you leave to ensure your safety in case a reaction occurs.
Use the COVID-19 vaccine side effects symptom checker if you have concerns about any symptoms after your vaccine. The checker is also available through the National Coronavirus Helpline, 1800 020 080, 24 hours a day.
The COVID-19 vaccine side effects symptom checker is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a medical professional for serious symptoms or emergencies.
For specific advice about side effects from different doses of vaccines, ask your doctor or health care professional.
See your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible or go directly to a hospital if:
- you have a reaction that you consider severe or unexpected
- you are concerned about your condition after vaccination.
Reporting symptoms
If you or your health care provider think a COVID-19 vaccine has caused a side effect, we encourage you to report it. Reporting suspected side effects helps us to maintain and improve the safety of vaccines. Every report is valuable and adds to safety monitoring.
Reporting suspected side effects is easy.
You can discuss any symptoms with your healthcare provider and they will report to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on your behalf. You can also report to your state or territory health department, or directly to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Get advice about vaccine symptoms and report through the NPS MedicineWise Adverse Medicine Events (AME) Line on 1300 134 237, 7 days a week 8am-8pm AEST/AEDT
You can report to the TGA by using their online form.