Addabbo urges COVID-19 vaccinated New Yorkers to self-report any adverse effects

With the vaccine becoming available to more and more New Yorkers, with increased eligibility standards and available appointments at local sites, State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. wants to advise those who get the vaccination that they should self-report any adverse effects they may have as a result of the pandemic shot.

New York City and State keep detailed records of reported COVID-19 cases, deaths and vaccinated individuals, but there is no official city or state government process to report if an individual has an adverse effect from any of the three COVID-19 vaccinations.

According to the CDC, common side effects of the vaccine include:

• Pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site;
• Tiredness;
• Headache;
• Muscle pain;
• Chills;
• Fever; and
• Nausea.

The CDC directs individuals who believe they have had an adverse reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine to self-report their case to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

According to the VAERS website, “VAERS is a passive reporting system, meaning it relies on individuals to send in reports of their experiences. Anyone can submit a report to VAERS, including parents and patients.”

“Now that all three COVID-19 vaccines are available, and more and more New Yorkers are getting their shots each day, it is important to continue to track how they feel after receiving their vaccination,” Addabbo said. “By reporting any adverse reactions we can keep a better track on how the vaccine affects different people. I encourage everyone who has been vaccinated — with either one shot or two — to self-report any side effects they are experiencing. Together we can beat this virus and limit the adverse reactions to the vaccine.”

Those who want to report an adverse reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine can visit https://vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html, or call 1-800-822-7967, or email info@VAERS.org. They are also encouraged to report any reactions to their primary doctor, who can then make the report to VAERS.