What are the Moderna Covid vaccine side effects?

It comes after UK regulators said that people under the age of 30 should be offered an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine, saying there was a possible link between the jab and “extremely rare” blood clots.

This means people aged 18 to 29 who are offered the jab will be offered the Pfizer or Moderna jab until other vaccines are approved for use.

The Vaccines Taskforce has secured 17 million doses of the Moderna vaccine for the UK – enough for 8.5 million people.

Here is all you need to know about the new jab.

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It’s understandable to be concerned about something new but many vaccines have expected side effects, which are usually nothing to worry about.

But if you are concerned, don’t worry – anyone going to get the Covid vaccine will receive plenty of information from the NHS.

Even if you do get some side effects - and those listed here are only 'possible' effects – the NHS website states they will typically be quite mild and should pass within a week.

Other people will notice nothing at all.

Here though we run through the information given out to patients who receive the Moderna coronavirus immunisation.

14 official Moderna Covid vaccine side effects

The following are listed under a section of a leaflet given to patients entitled ‘possible side effects’.

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Very common- may affect more than 1 in 10 people:

Swelling of the underarm glands on the same side as the injection site

Headache

Nausea

Vomiting

Muscle ache, joint aches, and stiffness

Pain or swelling at the injection site

Feeling very tired

Chills

Fever

Common- may affect up to 1 in 10 people:

Rash

Rash, redness, or hives at the injection site

Uncommon- may affect up to 1 in 100 people:

Itchiness at the injection site

Rare- may affect up to 1 in 1000 people:

Temporary one sided facial drooping (Bell’s palsy)

Swelling of the face (Swelling of the face may occur in patients who have had facial cosmetic injections.)

What to do about vaccine side effects

The leaflet given out to those who receive the vaccine goes on to explain what you should do about any side effects.

It reads: “If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. If you are concerned about a side-effect it can be reported directly via the Coronavirus Yellow Card reporting site or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store and include the vaccine brand and batch/Lot number if available. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this vaccine.”

The NHS website states you can take painkillers, such as paracetamol, if you need to after the vaccine but if your symptoms get worse or you are worried, call 111.

Four other ‘warnings and precautions’ BEFORE getting the jab

The leaflet also includes four bullet points with crucial information for patients before they take the Moderna jab.

Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before vaccination if you:

• have previously had a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction after any other vaccine injection or after you were given COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna in the past
• have a very weak or compromised immune system
• have ever fainted following any needle injection
• have a bleeding disorder
• have a high fever or severe infection; however, you can have your vaccination if you have a mild fever or upper airway infection like a cold
• have any serious illness
• have anxiety related to injections

For more information on the Moderna vaccine, visit the Gov.uk information page by clicking here.