Like all medicines, vaccines can cause side effects. Most of these are mild and short-term, and not everyone gets them. The most common side effects are:
You can rest and take the normal dose of paracetamol (follow the advice in the packaging) to help make you feel better. Do not use machines or drive if you are feeling unwell.
If the side effects last for more than a few days, you should speak to a healthcare professional.
Rarely, people can have a severe reaction soon after vaccination, which causes breathing difficulties and may cause them to collapse. This is called an anaphylactic reaction, and it can also happen with other medicines and food. These reactions are extremely rare, affecting less than one in a million people. Staff who give vaccinations are trained to manage these reactions.
People who have an anaphylactic reaction can be successfully treated and usually recover within a few hours.
All side effects are included in the patient information leaflet for the vaccine. For more information on side effects, visit the EMC website for information about Shingrix (external site).
If you have any questions about side effects, you can ask the person giving you the vaccine.
You should report suspected side effects of vaccines and medicines online at the Yellow Card website (external site), by downloading the Yellow Card app, or by calling 0800 731 6789 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).