COVID-19 Janssen Vaccine Information
Phelans Pharmacies will receive limited numbers of Janssen COVID-19 vaccines the week beginning Monday 14th June. These vaccines are only approved currently by the HSE for patients over 50 years of age.
If you are 50 years of age or older and have NOT yet received a COVID-19 vaccine, then please register your details using the form below, and we will be in touch with you once we have an available appointment.
The Janssen vaccine is also known as ‘the Johnson & Johnson vaccine’. Johnson & Johnson are the company that make this vaccine.
You will only need 1 dose of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine to get long-lasting protection.
It takes 14 days for the vaccine to work. This is when you are fully vaccinated.
The Janssen COVID-19 vaccine was developed in line with international standards of safety and has been tested with thousands of people as part of clinical trials.
Like all medicines, vaccines can cause side effects. Most of these are mild to moderate and do not last long. Not everyone gets side effects.
Common side effects
More than 1 in 10 people may experience:
- feeling tired
- pain in the arm where they had the vaccine injection
- headache
- muscle pain
- nausea
More than 1 in 100 people may have:
- redness or swelling where they had the injection
- joint pain
- cough or a fever (temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above)
Rare side effects
More than 1 in 1,000 people may have:
- back pain
- lack of energy
- muscle weakness
- pain in the limbs
- pain in the throat
- a rash
- sneezing
- sweating
- a tremor
More than 1 in 10,000 people may have a red, itchy rash.
Very rare side effects
Very rarely, 1 in 300,000 people may develop very unusual blood clots with low platelets. 1 in 10 of these people may die.
The risk of this very rare condition is higher in younger people, especially women.
Talk to the pharmacist giving you your vaccination about the risks and benefits of getting this vaccine.
Most people who got this very rare side effect got it within 14 days of getting the Janssen vaccine.
Get urgent medical help and mention your recent vaccination if you:
- are breathless
- have pain in the chest or stomach
- have swelling or coldness in a leg
- get a severe or worsening headache (particularly 3 or more days after the vaccine)
- have blurred vision
- feel confused
- have seizures
- have persistent bleeding under the skin where there was no previous injury
- have many small bruises, reddish or purplish spots, or blood blisters under the skin
Serious side effects
Serious side effects, like a severe allergic reaction, are extremely rare.
Approximately 1 in 100,000 people have serious side effects after the Janssen vaccine.
Your pharmacist is trained to treat very rare serious allergic reactions. If these happen, it’s usually soon after your vaccination. This is why we ask you to wait for 15 minutes after you’ve been vaccinated.
Fever after the vaccine
It’s common to develop a fever (temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above) after any vaccine. This usually happens within 48 hours of getting the vaccine. It usually goes away within 2 days.
If you feel uncomfortable, take paracetamol or ibuprofen. Follow the instructions on the box or leaflet.
If your fever lasts more than 48 hours or if you are worried, talk to your GP.
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms after your vaccine
COVID-19 vaccines cannot give you COVID-19.
You can get COVID-19 before you get your vaccine and not develop symptoms until after your vaccination.
Self-isolate and phone a GP to arrange a COVID-19 test if you have a fever which:
- starts more than 2 days after you get your vaccine
- lasts longer than 2 days after you get your vaccine
If you have any common symptoms of COVID-19, it’s important to self-isolate (stay in your room) and arrange a COVID-19 test.