As a huge portion of the world awaits their turn to get the vaccine, there are also a large number of people who are still reluctant to get the vaccines. A larger number of people have been lured away by different myths circulating on the internet, some believe in conspiracy theories while others say that the vaccine gives side effects.

There is a considerably large number of people who believe that since there are possible side effects of the vaccine, they should not get it. These types of beliefs often result from misinformation and myths. People follow the advice of random people who do not have any expertise in this regard. In this article we will bust the myths and explore the details of the side effects of the vaccine and why you should get it.

The Common Side Effects are Very Mild

Firstly let us know the fact that no vaccine or drug is 100% safe. Even paracetamol is not fully safe for use, but still it is the most widely used drug in the whole world today. A large number of people treat it as a part of their routine. They carry it with them wherever they go and no one has any fear of taking it.

Similarly, the common side effects of any of the covid vaccine are very mild. They include chills, light fever, pain at the injection site, light body aches etc. These side effects are the most common and majority of the people who get the jab experience some sort of these side effects. There are also some people who get no side effects at all.

This does not mean that you should not get the vaccine. These side effects have been reported by the administration of almost every vaccine. Not everyone gets these side effects but even if you do, don’t worry.  These side effects are very mild and they can actually be a good sign for you.  Let us explore further why these might be good for you.

They Show That Your Immune System is at Work

Let us just briefly describe how a vaccine works. A vaccine contains a small quantity of weakened or killed viral particles. These particles have been inactivated so that they cannot replicate. When the vaccine is injected into our bodies, it triggers the immune system to fight off the viral particles in the vaccine. Once our body has destroyed the virus it remembers how to fight any similar virus if it attacks again.

Therefore getting a vaccine trains our immune system how to fight off the virus without making us sick. Now, when a vaccine is injected into our bodies, our immune system attacks the viral particles, which is the main purpose of a vaccine. When our body is fighting any type of infection we experience fever, body aches etc.

Therefore, if we are experiencing any side effects like fever, chills or body aches; it means that our immune system is at work and our body is fighting off the infection. This is actually a good sign and it indicates that we are going to have the necessary protection ready in our bodies to fight off any virus that enters our body without making us sick.

Side Effects Last Only a Short While

We have already seen that if we experience any common side effects after getting the vaccine they can be a good sign and there is nothing to worry about them. Another reason to not worry is that these common side effects go away in a short period of time. Most of the common side effects that are reported usually go away within 24 to 48 hours of the vaccine administration.

This means that our body is fighting off the infection really well. When the dose is first administered our immune system is triggered and it comes into action. This causes some people to experience mild side effects. Even if the mild side effects remain for a few days there is no need to worry. This is an indication of the fact  that your body is fighting off the virus introduced by the vaccine.  Taking only Paracetamol is recommended in such situations.

Serious Side Effects are Very Rare

Since we have already seen that no drug is 100% safe, there are very few instances of serious side effects from the administration of covid vaccine. But there is no need to worry about them. The vaccine will be administered to you in the presence of medical personnel who are going to treat you immediately in case of any adverse reactions.

These side effects are rare and occur in only a very small number of people. However, the benefits that the vaccine gives are  far greater than the risks. The protection that the vaccines offer against covid is invaluable. Before getting the vaccine consult your physician. If not then there will be a team of experts available at the vaccination center, who is going to look at your medical history and let you know if you can get the jab.

The Benefits Outweigh the Risks

Everything that we do every day is a tradeoff between the risks and benefits. There is risk when we sit on a chair that we might fall or we may get hurt by any part of the chair, but we still do so anyway. Why? Because incidents of injury are very rare and the benefit of the comfort is far greater than the risk of injury.

Covid is an extremely dangerous disease, and the risk of catching covid is quite high. The vaccine is the only possible way to build the adequate protection required to avoid getting sick. The risk of covid is very high, and the risk of getting any adverse reaction is very low. 

Also, the existing treatments for any adverse reactions are quite developed, while the treatments for Covid are still continuously being developed. Getting the vaccine does not mean that we stop following SOPs at once. We still need to wear masks and surgical suits till herd immunity is achieved. Therefore getting the vaccine is the sensible thing to do.