The CDC Wants To Know About Your COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects
Mar 26, 2021, 6:51 PM | Updated: 7:37 pm
PROVO, Utah – A smartphone-based program from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants to know how COVID-19 vaccine recipients are feeling and if they are having any side effects.
The “V-Safe After Vaccination Health Checker” uses text messages and web surveys to conduct personalized health check-ins after someone receives the vaccine.
“We know that that the vaccine is safe but it’s just another way to track any type of side effects to make sure that nothing strange is happening,” said Danica Topham with the Utah County Health Department.
“The CDC is really encouraging people to report any and all side effects"
NOW on @KSL5TV at 6 p.m., learn about a smartphone-based tool from the @CDCgov to track side effects after the #COVID19 vaccine. pic.twitter.com/BtDXVNoEPQ
— Ladd Egan (@laddegan) March 26, 2021
Those who register for the program will receive a text message around 2 p.m. local time each day during the first week after receiving the vaccine asking how they are feeling. After the initial week, text messages will continue once a week for up to five weeks.
“Depending on your answers to the web surveys, someone from CDC may call to check on you and get more information,” read a CDC flyer about the program.
V-safe will then ask for check-ins at three months, six months and one year after the final dose of the vaccine. It will also send a reminder if a second COVID-19 vaccine dose is needed.
“The CDC is really encouraging people to report any and all side effects,” said Jenny Johnson with the Utah Department of Health.
By gathering vaccine experience information from a large group, Johnson said, the CDC can help us all understand what side effects we can expect.
“It’s helpful when the public can also provide that information back to the CDC,” Johnson said. “They have a team of researchers and medical professionals that peruse through all these side effects that are reported to make sure that nothing is out of the ordinary.”
To register, you will need to enter some of the information about which COVID-19 vaccine you received. That information can be found on your vaccination record card.
You can register for the program here.
