Covid-19 Vaccination Centre

Do not have the vaccine:

If you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to any of the active substances or any of the other ingredients listed in section 6. Signs of an allergic reaction may include itchy skin rash, shortness of breath and swelling of the face or tongue. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional immediately or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away if you have an allergic reaction. It can be life-threatening.

If you are not sure, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.

Warnings and precautions
Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before vaccination:

• If you have ever had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) after any other vaccine injection;
• If you currently have a severe infection with a high temperature (over 38°C).
  However, a mild fever or infection, like a cold, are not reasons to delay vaccination;
• If you have a problem with bleeding or bruising, or if you are taking a blood thinning medicine (anticoagulant);
• If your immune system does not work properly (immunodeficiency) or you are taking medicines that weaken the immune system (such as high-dose corticosteroids, immunosuppressants or cancer medicines).

If you are not sure if any of the above applies to you, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before you are given the vaccine.
As with any vaccine, COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca may not protect everyone who is vaccinated from COVID-19. It is not yet known how long people who receive the vaccine will be protected for. No data are currently available in individuals with a weakened immune system or who are taking chronic treatment that suppresses or prevents immune responses.

Children and adolescents
No data are currently available on the use of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca in children and adolescents younger than 18 years of age.

Other medicines and COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca
Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are taking, have recently taken or might take, any other medicines or vaccines.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. There are limited data on the use of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Your doctor, pharmacist or nurse will discuss with you whether you can be given the vaccine.

Driving and using machines
COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca has no known effect on the ability to drive and use machines. However, side effects listed in section 4 may impact your ability to drive and use machines. If you feel unwell, do not drive or use machines.

COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca contains sodium and alcohol (ethanol)
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose of 0.5 ml. This means that it is essentially ‘sodium-free’.
This medicine contains a very small amount of alcohol (0.002 mg of alcohol (ethanol) per dose of 0.5 ml). This is not enough to cause any noticeable effects.

COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca is injected into a muscle (usually in the upper arm).
You will receive 2 injections. You will be told when you need to return for your second injection of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca.
The second injection can be given between 4 and 12 weeks after the first injection.

When COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca is given for the first injection, COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca (and not another vaccine against COVID-19) should be given for the second injection to complete vaccination course.

If you miss your second injection
If you forget to go back at the scheduled time, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse for advice. It is important that you return for your second injection of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca.

Like all medicines, this vaccine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. In clinical studies with the vaccine, most side effects were mild to moderate in nature and resolved within a few days with some still present a week after vaccination.

If side effects such as pain and/or fever are troublesome, medicines containing paracetamol can be taken.
Side effects that occurred during clinical trials with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca were as follows:

Very Common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)

• Like all medicines, this vaccine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. In clinical studies with the vaccine, most side effects were mild to moderate in nature and resolved within a few days with some still present a week after vaccination.
• If side effects such as pain and/or fever are troublesome, medicines containing paracetamol can be taken.
• Side effects that occurred during clinical trials with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca were as follows:
• Very Common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)

• a lump at the injection site
• fever
• being sick (vomiting)
• flu-like symptoms, such as high temperature, sore throat, runny nose, cough and chills

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)

• Feeling dizzy
• decreased appetite
• abdominal pain
• enlarged lymph nodes
• excessive sweating, itchy skin or rash

n clinical trials there were very rare reports of events associated with inflammation of the nervous system, which may cause numbness, pins and needles, and/or loss of feeling. However, it is not confirmed whether these events were due to the vaccine.
If you notice any side effects not mentioned in this leaflet, please inform your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.

Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.
If you are concerned about a side-effect it can be reported directly via the Coronavirus Yellow Card reporting site https://coronavirus-yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/ or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store and include the vaccine brand and batch/Lot number if available. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this vaccine.

One dose (0.5 ml) contains:
COVID-19 Vaccine (ChAdOx1-S* recombinant)

Recombinant, replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus vector encoding the SARS-CoV-2 Spike
glycoprotein. Produced in genetically modified human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells.
This product contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The other excipients are L-histidine, L-histidine hydrochloride monohydrate, magnesium chloride hexahydrate, polysorbate 80, ethanol, sucrose, sodium chloride, disodium edetate dihydrate, water for injections.
What COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca looks like and contents of the pack
Solution for injection. The solution is colourless to slightly brown, clear to slightly opaque and particle free.