Coronavirus vaccine: China reports ‘low rates’ of side effects
- CDC says incidence of adverse effects is about 12 cases for every 100,000 doses
- About 80 per cent of the cases were mild, including fever and swelling
The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday that among the 265 million doses given between mid-December and the end of April, there 31,500 cases of adverse events. That was equivalent to around 12 cases for every 100,000 doses.
“Current assessment shows that severe unusual reactions [globally] are extremely rare. The benefit of getting vaccinated against the coronavirus is much higher than the risk.”
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The CDC said mild reactions were the most common type reported, accounting for more than 80 per cent of the total. These included a temperature of over 38.6 Celsius and swelling. The rest of the cases were “unusual reactions”, including allergic rash, deep facial swelling, and severe allergic reactions.
The vaccination drive was slow to take off in China, with the public initially hesitant to get the shots.