Breathlessness, Seizures: Rare Side Effects of Covishield Vaccine To Watch Out For

This article is a part of a series by The Better India to share verified information about COVID-19 care. While several posts on various aspects of fighting COVID-19 are being circulated on social media and messaging services like WhatsApp, we urge you not to trust unverified content. To separate fact from fiction, we will be sharing the videos and content with doctors and experts and bring you their responses with scientific research-backed information.

While COVID-19 treatment protocols may differ, the consensus in the global medical community is that everyone needs to get vaccinated.

When doctors are asked which vaccine one should opt for, the answer usually is the same – take the one that is made available to you at the earliest. In India, there are currently three vaccines that have been approved for use — Sputnik V, Covaxin and Covishield.

According to the Health Ministry, India has reported clotting and bleeding incidents in just 0.61 cases per million doses of the Covishield vaccine administered to people. Following this, the Ministry has released a list of symptoms that one should watch out for within 20 days of taking the Covishield jab.

Symptoms mentioned in the Ministry’s advisory include:

• breathlessness
• pain in the chest
• pain in limbs/pain on pressing limbs or swelling in limbs (arm or calf)
• multiple, pinhead size red spots or bruising of the skin in an area beyond the injection site
• persistent abdominal pain with or without vomiting
• seizures in the absence of previous history of seizures with or without vomiting
• severe and persistent headache with or without vomiting (in the absence of previous history of migraine or chronic headache)
• weakness/paralysis of limbs or any particular side or part of the body (including face)
• persistent vomiting without any obvious reason
• blurred vision or pain in the eye area or having double vision
• changes in mental state or having confusion or depressed level of consciousness
• any other symptom or health condition which is of concern to the recipient or the family.

If you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms, contact your medical practitioner immediately.

According to the guidelines prescribed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the common side effects that one may experience after getting the vaccine jab include:

• pain, redness, swelling – on the arm where you get the jab
• tiredness, headache, muscle ache, chills, fever, nausea.

While the Ministry has listed out the possible side effects of Covishield, it would be prudent to be vigilant of symptoms after your vaccination, no matter what vaccine has been administered.

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)