Is the vaccine safe?

Spoiler alert - yes it is. If you’re a little worried, find out everything you need to know below.

For the most detailed and up to date information go to the government website

or the NHS website for vaccine information

  • Safe

    Vaccines are carefully tested before being introduced, and constantly monitored for side effects after being introduced

  • Mild side effects

    You might have mild side effects like a sore arm for 2-3 days. This doesn’t mean anything is wrong.

  • Protects against serious illness

    Vaccines reduce the chance you get covid, and reduce the chance you get seriously ill from it

The covid-19 vaccines were quickly developed because they were based on decades of research. Vaccines are kind of like seeing a photo of someone before a blind date so you know who you’re supposed to meet at the coffee shop. A vaccine mimics the virus so your body can build antibodies to fight it. If the real virus infects you, your antibodies go ‘hey, we know what that is!’ and get to work fighting it.

The covid-19 vaccines were also created faster than normal because governments spent extra money and resources on them. Normally, making vaccines is slowed down by paperwork and long processes. Because of how serious covid-19 is, lots of governments and companies invested more money, people and time in getting things done quickly.

Are vaccines made this quickly actually safe? Yes! There are important safety rules in vaccine making that were ALL followed for the covid vaccines. All the safety procedures used for any other vaccine you might have had, like rotavirus vaccine when you were a baby, or the MMR vaccine or HPV vaccine, were also used for the coronavirus vaccines.

Medicines are not 100% risk free however, because we are all unique and sometimes react to things differently. The risks from approved medicines are very low.