So far, ten people have experienced some side effects after being vaccinated against Covid-19, according to data revealed by health officials during a press conference on Friday.
"Ten out of 35,000 vaccinated people, that is a very low figure," said virologist and interfederal Covid-19 spokesperson Steven Van Gucht, based on figures up to 12 January.
"Mostly, it concerns mild side effects such as fatigue, muscle aches, nausea or some slight fever," he added.
As previously reported, an 82-year-old man living in a residential care centre died five days after being vaccinated, but Van Gucht stressed that a connection has not been found.
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"At an older age, the risk of death is higher anyway, especially in residential care centres," he said. "Every week, hundreds of people die in residential care centres. So it is normal that now and then people who have just been vaccinated also die."
However, the Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP) is going to thoroughly investigate the cause of death.
In the United States, more figures are available as a much larger number of people have been vaccinated already.
According to Van Gucht, the CDC reports mild side effects in two out of 1,000 vaccinated people. "These are usually headaches, muscle aches or mild fever, the day after vaccination," he said.
A serious side effect, a so-called anaphylactic shock (a severe allergic reaction) only happened "very occasionally," in one in 100,000 people.
"Such a reaction usually occurs within 15 minutes of vaccination, and is treatable," said Van Gucht. "That is why people have to stay in observation for at least 15 minutes after their vaccination."
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
