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Here’s How You Can Help The CDC Track COVID-19 Vaccine Safety In Real Time
(Photo by Chava Sánchez. V-Safe logo courtesy of CDC)
As the battle to defeat COVID-19 with vaccinations rolls on, one key part of the fight is tracking the immunizations’ safety -- and that’s where all of us can play a role. Once you get vaccinated, you can sign up for v-safe, an online tool you use to let the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention know how you’re doing.
It’s not an app -- and you need a smartphone to sign up and start using it. Here's how to register.
Since we’re still in the era of having only two-shot vaccines, here’s how it works:
After you get your first shot, v-safe will send you a text each day for a week asking whether you’re experiencing any side effects. The CDC says it takes less than five minutes to answer the questions in the survey. Then v-safe will check in once a week for up to five weeks.
Sponsored message
Depending on your answers, someone from CDC may call to check on you.
After your second shot, v-safe will create another check-in process that will last six weeks. Then you’ll receive check-ins three, six, and 12 months after your final dose.
Getting a lot of people to participate in this process is important, because the more data the CDC collects, the clearer picture it can develop of a vaccine’s safety.
Have more questions? Here’s a CDC FAQ .
People experiencing side effects from a vaccination who don’t have a smartphone can submit a report to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which is managed by the CDC and the FDA. If you need additional help submitting a report, you can call the VAERS toll-free information line at 1-800-822-7967 or send an email to info@vaers.org .
READ OUR IN-DEPTH VACCINATION GUIDES:
Answers To Your COVID-19 Vaccine Questions -- Safety, Eligibility, Access, And Much More
How To Get The Second Dose Of Vaccine -- And Everything You Need To Know About It
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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