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Safety Information

Common Side Effects

At Injection Site

  • Swelling

  • Reddish Color

  • Soreness

General Side Effects

  • Joint and/or muscle pain

  • Chills

  • Headache

  • Mild fever

  • Tiredness

Rare Side Effects

Myocarditis and Pericarditis

Myocarditis is the inflammation of the heart muscle and pericarditis is inflammation of the lining around the outside of the heart. Seek immediate medical attention if you have chest pain or pressure, an irregular heartbeat or rhythm (too quick/too slow), or shortness of breath.

Capillary Leak Syndrome

Capillary leak syndrome causes fluid leakage from small blood vessels. This can result in low blood pressure, swelling in the arms and legs, or sudden weight gain

Bell's Palsy (Facial Paralysis)

Bell's palsy is an episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis. Contact your health care provider if you have mild weakness to total paralysis on one side of the face, affecting facial movement (such as smiling, squinting, blinding or closing the eyelid).

Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)

Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that causes the body's immune system to damage nerve cells. This can result in pain, numbness, muscle weakness (progressing to paralysis in the most severe cases).

Blood Clots With Low Platelets

Thrombosis is a blood clot and thrombocytopenia is a condition in which you have a low platelet count. Seek immediate medical attention if you have shortness of breath, chest pain, persistent abdominal pain, blurred vision, confusion or seizures, severe or worsening headache, or skin bruising.

Allergic Reactions

Symptoms of an allergic reaction include difficulty breathing, swelling of the face/tongue/throat, hives. If you develop an allergic reaction, seek assistance at the immunization clinic or call emergency services right away.

For more information on vaccine safety, refer to Government of Canada's COVID 19: Vaccine safety and side effects webpage.

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