Recent covishield vaccines are the coronavirus vaccine, which is known to the world. We should know what type of adverse effect. Is it dangerous, or is it just a simple immune response?
Ensuring the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines is safe is the main challenge in today’s pandemic. If you are taking the covishield vaccine or you have taken the recent covishield vaccine, then you should know the most common side effects of it. Here we discuss it in this post.
What is COVID-19 ?
COVID-19 disease is caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, which has been declared the pandemic of the decade. We all already know that COVID-19 can be contracted through contact with another person who has the virus.
The disease is predominantly a respiratory illness that can affect multiple organs and has taken many lives so far. Â COVID-19 symptoms reported range from mild symptoms to severe illness.
COVID-19 symptoms appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus, which include: fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath; fatigue; muscle or body aches; headache; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; diarrhea
What is the Covishield vaccine?
Covishield vaccine is the vaccine by Oxford-AstraZeneca, which is manufactured locally by the Serum Institute of India. Serum Institute is the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, producing more than 50 million doses of vaccine in a month.
This vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus, also known as an adenovirus. These adenoviruses are from chimpanzees, which have been modified to look more like a coronavirus.
Doses of Covid Vaccine
Covishield is given in two separate doses of 0.5 ml each. The second dose is administered four to six weeks after the first dose.
It should be kept in mind that if the person has a severe allergic reaction to the first dose, then it should not be given the second dose.
By taking the vaccine, you may develop immunity to COVID only four weeks after the second dose of the shot.
Ingredients of the Covishield vaccine
The COVID vaccine includes the following ingredients
- L-Histidine hydrochloride monohydrate
- Polysorbate 80
- L-Histidine,
- Magnesium chloride hexahydrate,
- Ethanol,
- Sucrose,
- Sodium chloride,
- Disodium edetate dihydrate (EDTA), and
- water for injection.
 Benefits of the Covishield?
In ongoing clinical trials, the Covishield vaccine has been shown to significantly prevent COVID-19 following 2 doses given between 4 and 12 weeks apart. The duration of protection against COVID-19 disease is still currently unknown, and not much available data.
It has been said that a protective immune response is gained 4 weeks after the second dose of the Covishield vaccine.
Side effects of Covishield?
Although there is no so much data and research available regarding the coronavirus side effects. The serious side effects are not so much pronounced. So the side effects or the adverse effects of the vaccine are still an enigma. It has been defined as AEFI (Adverse Effects Following Immunization). Recently, it has been shown that around 0.18 percent of cases of vaccination have AEFIs
Till now, the AEFI reported with the Covishield vaccine used to be of two types.
- Simple side Effects (Simple AEFI)
- Serious Side Effects (Serious AEFI)
Simple AEFI
They are termed as a simple adverse effect. It may affect more than 1 in 10 people who have received the vaccine. Not every person gets these adverse effects. The following are the most commonly found side effects.
- Tenderness and heaviness over the injection site
- Pain over the injection site and the vaccine applied hand
- Warmth and redness over the site
- Itching over the injected area and development of itchy skin or rashes
- Swelling over the area, or sometimes swelling of the fingers
- Bruising over the vaccine-injected site
- Generally feeling unwell
- The feeling of tiredness and fatigue
- Feeling dizzy and uneasiness
- Chills or a feeling of feverish
- Headache and heaviness of the whole body
- Feeling nausea and vomiting episodes
- Pain in Joint (Joint pain)
- Myalgia (Pain in Muscle)
- Lump at the injection site
- Flu-like symptoms, such as high temperature, sore throat, runny nose, cough, and chills
- Excessive sweating
- Decreased appetite
- Abdominal pain
- May have enlarged lymph nodes
These side effects may not be seen after taking the covishield vaccine. Or you may get two or three of them. Sometimes you may not get any else. Till now, most people after taken the vaccine, do have 2 hadhad 2 of the symptoms they have.
As per the limited data and research regarding these adverse effects, there is no so much data available as it’s on the 4th clinical trial phase. The above symptoms are seen during the second and third trial phase of the vaccine.
Also, during the 4th trial, these can show up in the vaccinated person. Yet there may be more of them. Ned to wait for the pace of time to overcome and know it.
Mild vs. Severe COVID Vaccine Side Effects
| Mild Reactions (Common, Short-Term) | Severe Reactions (Rare, Require Medical Attention) |
|---|---|
| Pain, redness, or swelling at injection site | Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) – difficulty breathing, swelling of face/throat |
| Fatigue or tiredness | Persistent high fever (over 103°F/39.4°C) lasting more than 48 hours |
| Headache | Chest pain, palpitations, or irregular heartbeat (possible myocarditis) |
| Muscle or joint aches | Severe or persistent headaches with blurred vision (possible blood clots) |
| Chills or mild fever (below 102°F/38.9°C) | Severe abdominal pain (possible blood clotting issues) |
| Nausea or mild dizziness | Weakness or numbness in limbs (possible Guillain-Barré syndrome) |
| Swollen lymph nodes (armpit or neck) | Unusual bruising or bleeding (possible low platelet count) |
| Mild rash or itchiness at injection site | Seizures or confusion (rare neurological reactions) |
Rare But Serious Side Effects of COVID Vaccines
Besides common side effects or the coronavirus vaccine adverse effects, there may be serious side effects too. These are not well documented, and the research data is very less. So, sometimes there might be Serious and unexpected side effects that may occur.
While most COVID vaccine side effects are mild and temporary, a small number of people may experience rare but severe reactions. Here’s what to watch for:
1. Anaphylaxis (Severe Allergic Reaction)
- Symptoms:Â Difficulty breathing, swelling of the face/throat, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, rash
- Onset:Â Usually within minutes to a few hours after vaccination
- Frequency:Â ~2-5 cases per million doses (CDC)
- Action: Seek immediate emergency care—epinephrine (EpiPen) may be needed
2. Myocarditis & Pericarditis (Heart Inflammation)
- Symptoms:Â Chest pain, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat
- Most at risk:Â Males aged 12-30 (mostly after mRNA vaccines)
- Frequency:Â ~40 cases per million second doses in young males (lower in others)
- Action: Report to a doctor—most cases resolve with treatment
3. Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS – Blood Clots with Low Platelets)
- Linked to:Â Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) and AstraZeneca vaccines (rare with mRNA shots)
- Symptoms:Â Severe headache, blurred vision, leg swelling, abdominal pain, unusual bruising
- Onset:Â 1-2 weeks post-vaccination
- Frequency:Â ~3-4 cases per million doses (J&J)
- Action: Requires urgent medical evaluation
4. Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS – Nerve Disorder)
- Symptoms:Â Muscle weakness, tingling, difficulty walking or moving
- Most reported after:Â J&J vaccine (very rare with mRNA vaccines)
- Frequency:Â ~7-8 cases per million doses
- Action: Neurological care needed—most recover with treatment
5. Capillary Leak Syndrome (Extreme Fluid Leakage from Blood Vessels)
- Symptoms:Â Sudden swelling, low blood pressure, dizziness
- Extremely rare:Â Mostly reported in people with prior history of the condition
- Action:Â Emergency treatment required
What should you do if you have side effects?
Simple or common adverse effects after taking a vaccine are common. But when you experience a severe allergic reaction or any unbearable then you need to go to the nearest hospital or health care provider. Adverse call or go to the nearest hospital.
When to Seek Immediate Medical Help
✔ Difficulty breathing or throat swelling
✔ Chest pain or irregular heartbeat
✔ Severe, persistent headache with vision changes
✔ Unusual bruising or bleeding
✔ Weakness/numbness in limbs
In the same way, you can report side effects after vaccination to Serum Institute, which is the manufacturer of the Covishield vaccine. For Medical and Adverse Event-Related Queries, you can send an email to pharmacovigilance@seruminstitute.com
