Covid in Scotland: 'Reassuring' results in Covid vaccine side effects study
- Published
Fewer than one in 12 Covid vaccine recipients reported significant side effects in the week following their jab, an independent study has found.
More than 12,000 people from around the UK have taken part in Dundee University's Vac4Covid, external survey, which was launched in February.
Almost half of those surveyed said they felt better after receiving the vaccination.
The survey is open to anyone in the UK aged 18 or over.
As of Wednesday morning, 3,987,074 people in Scotland had received the first dose while 3,010,505 had had their second.
The Dundee University team said it was keen to hear from more people aged 18 to 30, and pregnant women who had received their vaccinations.
Recipients of both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines took part in the study.
The most commonly reported side effects following a vaccine include fever, headaches and fatigue.
Independent study
The study reported that 7.9% of participants reported a change in their health "which they considered sufficient to disrupt their usual daily activities" in the seven days after receiving their jab.
Dr Amy Rogers from the study team said: "The side effects of Covid-19 vaccination have been a talking point, but the figure of 7.9% is very much in line with what we expect from any vaccination, such as seasonal flu.
"That should make these results very reassuring for anybody still concerned about the possibility of side effects from their Covid-19 vaccination."
The research team found that recipients of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine were more likely to report headaches and fatigue after their first dose.
The team said those who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine tended to report more side effects after their second dose.
The survey's chief investigator Prof Tom MacDonald said: "This study is completely independent, with no involvement by vaccine manufacturers.
"We believe this is important and means the public can have confidence in our findings."
