VACCINE RESOURCE COMMITTEE
of the Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association
View Full List of Vaccine Questions Here
General Vaccine Question #1:
Are vaccines safe?
The benefit of recommended vaccines significantly outweighs the rare risks of vaccine complications. There are resources to report vaccine safety and adverse events. All vaccines for use in Canada have been assessed and approved for use by Health Canada. In addition, all vaccines in use are monitored for safety on an ongoing basis.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) coordinates the monitoring of the safety of vaccines in Canada. Clinicians, together with Public Health, are required to report serious adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) to the Canada Vigilance Program (CVP).
The Canadian Adverse Events Following Immunization Surveillance System (CAEFISS) is a federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) public health post-approval and used in Canada vaccine safety surveillance system. CAEFISS is managed by PHAC and is unique in that it includes both passive (spontaneous reports from FPTs) and active surveillance.
CAEFISS:
continuously monitors the safety of marketed vaccines in Canada
identifies increases in the frequency or severity of previously identified vaccine-related reactions
identifies previously unknown adverse events following immunization that could possibly be related to a vaccine (unexpected AEFI)
identifies areas that require further investigation and/or research
provides timely information on AEFI reporting profiles for vaccines marketed in Canada that can help inform immunization-related decisions
monitors some rare reactions if there are any safety signals identified
Common adverse events for all vaccines can include:
Pain, redness, or swelling where the vaccine was given.
Hives.
Tiredness or headache.
Fever and chills.
Muscle or joint soreness.
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Fussiness, crying, restlessness, or decreased appetite in infants
After the MMR or chickenpox (varicella) vaccine: fever, rash, or other side effects (including swelling of glands in the cheeks or neck after the MMR vaccine) may occur one to two weeks after immunization.
After the nasal spray influenza (flu) vaccine: nasal congestion and runny nose.
Most of these side effects are a sign that your body is starting to build immunity against a disease. Fainting can happen after any medical procedure, including vaccinations. It’s a reaction to the injection itself, not to any specific vaccine ingredient.
As of December 3, 2023 105,016,456 total doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Canada and there were 47,010 (0.045%) total adverse events with 11,702 (0.011%) of them serious. Evidence indicates that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines continue to outweigh the risks of the disease. To see the list of adverse event types, frequency and severity click here.
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare disorder where the body’s immune system damages nerve. The damage to the nerves causes muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. While its cause is not fully understood, the syndrome often follows infection with a virus or bacteria. Most people fully recover from GBS, but some have permanent nerve damage. Results of studies suggest that it is more likely that a person will get GBS after getting the flu than after vaccination. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found evidence suggesting an increased risk of GBS among adults 18 years and older after J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccination but not after Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccination.
Sources
Immunize BC-Safety- Side Effects
Government of Canada-Reported side effects following COVID-19 vaccination in Canada
The Journal of Allery and Clinical Immunology-Vaccine-associated hypersensitivity
CDC-Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) and Vaccines