The COVID-19 pandemic originated in Wuhan, China has caused considerable economic and medical losses worldwide. In the midst of the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak, researchers made tremendous efforts to develop vaccines against the infection. COVID-19 is a challenge with its mass exposure to new agents that may cause vaccines not to be as effective as they have been in relatively small numbers in previous studies. It must be stressed that the effectiveness of vaccines probably outweighs the slight risk of adverse effects, but this does not seem feasible when so many people are exposed. The COVID-19 pandemic can serve as a wakeup call for developing countries to strengthen their pharmacovigilance systems since a trustworthy pharmacovigilance system is vital for safe use of COVID-19 vaccines. In combination with the rapid vaccine development as well as the uncertainty of potential long term adverse events, COVID-19 safety and efficacy studies should be conducted rigorously. Implementing mass vaccinations efficiently requires an ongoing multidimensional active pharmacovigilance strategy. Short term side effects are moderate in frequency, mild in severity and short lived. Adverse effects are more likely to affect young individuals, women and people who have had COVID-19 in the past. However, when so many people around the world are exposed, collecting data from those who believe they have been injured is crucial to their safety. Public health authorities depend primarily on the public to report sensibly and respond to requests for further information.
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