Staff Reporter
The National Department of Health says it has noted with concern a video clip circulating on social media platforms showing a man suffering from what looks like a throat cancer, claiming this to be the result of a COVID-19 vaccine.
The department’s national spokesperson, Foster Mohale, said in a statement on Wednesday anyone who experiences any adverse effects should urgently seek medical help.
“The department would like to remind and call upon all people who experience any adverse events following immunisation to immediately report to the nearest health facility or vaccination site,” read part of the statement.
“Each province and district have allocated persons who are responsible for investigating severe and serious adverse events following immunisation within 48 hours since it has been identified or the health system has been notified thereof. However, there is no time limit to reporting an event,” added the statement.
Mohale said all adverse events following immunisation are taken seriously and appropriate action can only be taken if they are reported.
He said COVID-19 vaccines are very safe and highly effective at preventing hospitalisation and death and discouraged members of the public from using other people’s health conditions and life experiences to push other narratives to justify their opposition to the life-saving intervention.
“All vaccines and medicines have side effects, with the majority of COVID-19 vaccine side effects being minor and resolved within two-three days.
“While individuals respond differently to vaccinations and the side effects differ (with the type of vaccine), the most common side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines include headache, mild fever, chills, pain and/or redness at the injection site, fatigue, muscle pain, nausea and mild diarrhoea,” he explained.
Mohale said serious adverse events following immunisation are very rarely caused by immunisation.
He said they are most often health events that would have happened regardless of whether a vaccine was received or not.
Adverse events following immunisation may be reported using the Med Safety App: (https://medsafety.sahpra.org.za/) or by completing a paper ‘case report form’ which may be accessed at https://www.nicd.ac.za/diseases-a-z-index/adverse- event-following-immunization-aefi/.
The form should be returned by email to AEFI@health.gov.za.
Alternatively, the COVID-19 Public Hotline can be contacted on 0800 0299 99.