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Acute Communicable Disease Control
For Healthcare Providers: COVID-19 Hub Vaccine Hub
For Everyone: VaccinateLACounty.com
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V-Safe

Sign up for v-safe, the CDC after-vaccination health checker If you have a smart phone, please sign up at vsafe.cdc.gov to tell CDC about any side effects. Click here for more information.

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Common Side-effects

Common vaccine side-effects

  • Fever, chills, and muscle aches
  • Headache
  • Feeling tired
  • Sore or red arm
  • You may get vaccine side-effects in the first 2 days after getting the vaccine.
  • Side effects are more common in younger people and after the second dose of two-dose vaccines. Side-effects usually do not last long, and you should feel better within a day or two.
  • For two-dose vaccines, it is important to get the second dose even if you get side effects after the first dose unless a vaccination provider or your doctor tells you not to.
  • Vaccine side effects are normal and show that your body is learning to fight the virus and build up immunity. Having these types of side effects soon after vaccination does NOT mean that you have COVID-19.

Contact your doctor if your symptoms:

  • Last more than 2 days,
  • Start more than 2 days after getting the vaccine, or
  • They get worse or worry you.

Tips to help with symptoms

  • Apply a clean, cool, wet washcloth to reduce pain and discomfort in your arm. It may also help to use or exercise your arm. To reduce discomfort from fever, drink plenty of fluids and dress lightly.
  • Over-the counter medicines like acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil®) can help if you develop pain, fever, headache, or discomfort.
Allergic Reactions

As with any medicine, it is rare but possible to have a serious reaction, such as not being able to breathe. It is very unlikely that this will happen. If it does, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Symptoms of COVID-19

You cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine. But there is still a risk of getting infected with the COVID-19 virus before and after starting your vaccine series. Talk to a doctor and get tested for COVID-19 if you get any of these symptoms. You should stay home and stay away from others until you get the result of your test or until your doctor tells you that you don’t have COVID-19. If you get COVID-19 after you have been vaccinated, you still need to isolate.

The COVID-19 vaccine does not cause these symptoms

  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Runny nose
  • Sore throat
  • Loss of taste or smell
Continue Daily Prevention
Stopping this pandemic is going to take all our tools.

Even after you are fully vaccinated.

  • Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others.
  • Wash your hands often.
  • Stay home if you are sick.
  • Avoid crowds.
  • Stay at least 6 feet away from others.
  • Avoid poorly ventilated spaces.

This is because:

  • The vaccines are very effective at preventing COVID-19 illness but here is still a chance that you could get COVID-19, even after you are fully vaccinated.
  • We don’t know how well the vaccines stop people from getting infected with the virus. Getting the vaccine can stop you from feeling sick with COVID-19, but you might still be able to spread the virus to others.
If you are a close contact to someone with COVID-19

If you are a close contact to someone with COVID-19, you are not required to quarantine if you meet all the following criteria:

  1. You are fully vaccinated (this means it’s at least 2 weeks since you got a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine or the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines) and
  2. It is less than 3 months since you got your final vaccine dose and
  3. You have had no symptoms of COVID-19 since your close contact.

Even if you do not need to quarantine, it is important that you:

  • Monitor your health for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days from your last contact with the infected person.
  • Talk to Public Health if you get a call or message from "LA PublicHealth" or 1-833-641-0305.
  • Continue to protect yourself and others by wearing a mask around others, washing your hands, and staying at least 6 ft away from others.

Visit the quarantine webpage for more information

V-Safe

Help CDC learn more about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Use your smartphone to tell CDC about any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. You’ll also get reminders if you need a second vaccine dose.

Sign up at vsafe.cdc.gov

During the first week after you get your vaccine, v-safe will send you a text message each day to ask how you are doing. Then you will get check-in messages once a week for up to 5 weeks. You’ll also receive check-ins 3, 6, and 12 months after your final dose of vaccine. If you report certain symptoms, someone from CDC may call to check on you. Learn more about v-safe.



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    • Public Health has made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translation. However, no computerized translation is perfect and is not intended to replace traditional translation methods. If questions arise concerning the accuracy of the information, please refer to the English edition of the website, which is the official version.

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