After the corona vaccination, normal vaccination reactions and unwanted side effects occur. Here you can find out in which period after the vaccination most symptoms appear.
As a result of the corona vaccination, many vaccinated people report symptoms such as pain at the injection site, headache and body aches as well as fever and chills. So that you know what to expect on the day of the vaccination and the days after, we will show you the period during which normal vaccination reactions and unwanted side effects most frequently occur.
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Corona vaccination: when do vaccination reactions occur?
In connection with the corona vaccination – as with any vaccination – you have to distinguish between so-called vaccination reactions and side effects. Vaccination reactions are a sign that the body’s immune response is taking place and antibodies are being formed. They are therefore completely normal and harmless. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) , the five most common vaccine reactions to mRNA vaccines are:
- pain at the injection site (over 80 percent),
- fatigue (over 60 percent),
- headache and body aches (over 50 percent),
- chills (over 30 percent),
- Nausea and vomiting (over 20 percent).
Vaccination reactions occur during this period
According to the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) , the vaccination reactions mentioned above occur in the vast majority of cases within 48 hours after the vaccination and last on average for only one to a maximum of three days. Therefore, you can be sure that even if you feel really bad after the vaccination and are completely flat, you should be fine within two to three days at most. If you still notice symptoms after this period, these could be side effects. As described below, these can last longer.
When do side effects occur after the corona vaccination?
Unwanted side effects – or vaccination complications – go beyond the scope of a normal vaccination reaction and can severely affect the health of the person concerned. Vaccination complications can also occur four to 16 days after the corona vaccination . They include, for example, local symptoms such as headaches, punctual skin bleeding, hives, facial swelling or even facial paralysis, which, however, disappeared within a few weeks at the latest.
Allergic reactions such as anaphylactic shock can even occur immediately after the vaccination, which is why allergy sufferers should remain on site for 30 minutes after the vaccination for monitoring.
Important: If you experience the side effects listed above, you should contact your family doctor immediately, especially if the symptoms do not go away on their own within a very short time.
No vaccination reaction: Am I still protected?
If neither vaccination reactions nor side effects occur as a result of the corona vaccination, many people wonder whether their immune system has built up vaccination protection at all. Researchers give the all-clear here: According to Robert Finberg , an immunologist at the University of Massachusetts, there is no lower vaccination protection if there is no vaccination reaction. The non-specific immune response following a vaccination causes inflammatory reactions such as fever in some people but not in others. The Pharmazeutische Zeitung also reported that the occurrence or the strength of the vaccination reaction says nothing about the actual vaccination protection and the effectiveness of the corona vaccination.
