Connect to the websites and resources healthcare professionals need to address side effects of vaccination or health issues that arise after vaccination, whether or not they are believed to be related to vaccination.
Managing Vaccine Adverse Events
It is important to appropriately address and report all vaccine adverse events. Some very rare adverse events develop days after vaccination. They are described in vaccine-specific resources. Some adverse events, such as an allergic reaction, occur within minutes of vaccination and must be addressed immediately.
These resources address immediate adverse events, such as allergic reactions or fainting.
Table describes procedures to follow if various reactions occur in adult patients, includes supply list
Table describes procedures to follow if various reactions occur in children and teens, includes supply list
Vaccination-Related Syncope: Information for Healthcare Personnel
This 1-page handout for healthcare personnel describes how syncope (fainting) sometimes occurs around vaccination, how practitioners can reduce the risk of occurrence, and how to respond if it does occur, plus includes useful resources
Managing Side Effects
Common side effects in the days after vaccination include pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site or general symptoms of fever or fatigue. One of the most popular handouts for parents is:
Tip sheet for parents describing how to reduce fever, including medication dosages for various ages and weights of children.
- Also available in:
- Arabic
- Chinese-Simplified
- French
- Korean
- Russian
- Spanish
- Vietnamese
Reporting Vaccine Adverse Events
Every vaccination provider has a responsibility to report health problems (adverse events) that occur after vaccination. Reporting is important following a vaccine administration error, such as administering an injection in a location that results in a shoulder injury, or administering the wrong product. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is a nationwide system for monitoring adverse events following vaccination. VAERS is operated jointly by the FDA and the CDC. This system accepts all reports from any person. A report does not mean that the vaccine caused the reaction. The system is important to detect patterns and identify reports for further study.
- VAERS Website
Go to this website to learn more or to report an adverse event - VAERS Information Portal (VIP)
This webpage has additional specific information for healthcare professionals - VAERS Table of Reportable Events Following Vaccination
- VAERS Fact Sheet
National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
Patients who experience adverse events following administration of certain vaccines are eligible to petition for compensation through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP). Read more about NVICP and learn how to file a petition on the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) NVICP home page.