Covid vaccine side effects: 4 takeaways from our survey

Thousands of Americans believe they have experienced rare but serious side effects. But confirming a link is a difficult task.

Shortly after their arrival in late December 2020, Covid-19 vaccines turned the pandemic around and paved the way for back to normal. They have prevented about 14.4 million deaths worldwide, according to one estimate.

In a small percentage of people, they also produced side effects.

In a small percentage of people, they also produced side effects.

For more than a year, the New York Times spoke with 30 people who said they had been harmed by Covid vaccines. Their symptoms may be unrelated to the injections. But they — and more than a dozen experts — said federal authorities weren't doing enough to investigate their complaints.

All vaccines carry some risk of side effects. More than 270 million Americans have received about 677 million doses of Covid vaccines, and even rare side effects — occurring in, say, just 0.001% of patients — could mean thousands of recipients have been affected.

Indeed, more than 13,000 people have submitted claims to a government fund that compensates people for injuries caused by the Covid vaccine. However, so far only a dozen people have been compensated, almost all for a heart problem caused by vaccines.

Here are four takeaways from our investigation .< /p>For most people, the benefits of Covid vaccines outweigh the risks.

Even the best vaccines and medications have side effects. This does not negate their benefits, nor does it suggest that people should stop taking them.

We are having difficulty retrieving the content of the article.< /p>

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode, please exit and log in to your Times account, or subscribe to the entire Times.