Coronavirus: 22 people report side-effect from jab

Cyprus recorded 22 possible side-effects during the first month of Covid-19 vaccinations, the health ministry’s pharmaceutical services said on Tuesday.

According to the health ministry, 22 people said they experienced certain mild side effects that may be related to the jab, after more than 16,000 people received the Pfizer vaccine starting December 26.

“The reports are mild and reversible,” Elena Panayiotopoulou, acting head of the pharmaceutical services of the health ministry told the Cyprus Mail.

While 59 per cent were common side effects, the remaining 41 per cent refer to infrequent side effects.

Pain on the injection area was the most common according to Panayiotopoulou. The rest involve migraines, nausea or small increase in body temperature.

“No incident caused death or hospitalisation or extension of hospitalisation, or was life-threatening to the patient, or caused disability,” the services said.

The majority, 82 per cent, were reported by health professionals while the rest 18 per cent by patients or their relatives.

Compared with the number of people vaccinated, Panayiotopoulou said the percentage of the possible side-effects is near to zero.

“It is a very encouraging percentage that should encourage people to receive the vaccine which is our only protection against the virus,” she added.

The possible side effects are recorded by all European member states and then submitted to the European medicines agency which will conclude whether the incidents recorded are related to the vaccination.

“We insist on importing authorised vaccines by the European medicines agency because it means they are safe,” Panayiotopoulou added.

People who received the vaccine may report possible side effects through the national adverse reaction system to the pharmaceutical services by submitting the ‘yellow card’ online, via e-mail or fax. The form is available on the health ministry’s website.