How the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine has been ensured according to WHO.
There are strict protections in place to help ensure the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines. Before receiving validation from WHO and national regulatory agencies, COVID-19 vaccines must undergo rigorous testing in clinical trials to prove that they meet internationally agreed benchmarks for safety and effectiveness.
Unprecedented scientific collaborations have allowed COVID-19 vaccine research, development, and authorizations to be completed in record time – to meet the urgent need for COVID-19 vaccines while maintaining high safety standards.
The Covid vaccine trials have happened at breakneck speed, but they haven't skipped any steps. As with all vaccines, WHO and regulatory authorities will continuously monitor the use of COVID-19 vaccines to confirm that they remain safe for all who receive them. Vaccine safety monitoring is ensured at the national, regional, and global level. As is standard practice in all national immunization programmes, WHO supports the set up of safety monitoring systems for COVID-19 vaccines in every country. After a COVID-19 vaccine is introduced in a country, WHO works with vaccine manufacturers, health officials and other partners to track safety concerns and potential side effects on an ongoing basis. Specific safety concerns that may arise will be evaluated by WHO and an independent group of experts (the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety, or GACVS) in conjunction with the relevant national authorities.
Chopped by
