Amharic - Vaccination Explainer by NEMBC Media - VIC Multilingual News Service published on 2021-10-03T04:42:51Z BELOW IS THE ENGLISH SCRIPT: click "show more" This information is about the importance of COVID 19 vaccination Getting vaccinated helps to stop you from getting sick and protects your family, friends and the community from COVID-19. The COVD-19 vaccines work very well to stop serious illness and death from COVID-19. The more people who are vaccinated, the more the community is protected. Are the vaccines safe? All the COVID-19 vaccines used in Australia, AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna, are safe. They have been tested for safety by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. This is an independent organisation who decides which medicines can be safely used in Australia. Are there side effects? Like all medicines and vaccines, COVID-19 vaccines can have some side effects. Most of the time the symptoms will be mild and will only last for a day or two. Some side effects you might get after being vaccinated are: pain in your arm where you had the injection muscle aches, headache, fatigue and fever. When you get your vaccine you will need to wait for fifteen minutes before you leave to make sure you don’t have any serious immediate side effects. Medical professionals will help you if you feel unwell. You may have heard of a serious but very rare blood clotting condition that could occur after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine. This is a very rare condition, affecting about two out of every 100,000 people after the first dose, and it can be effectively treated if someone seeks medical attention when they have symptoms. The risk of this condition is lower for those aged over 60. If you have an underlying medical condition, speak to your GP to find out if the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe for you. If you have strong side effects after any COVID vaccine like a headache that doesn’t go away, or experience trouble breathing, or a pain or pressure in your chest, call your doctor or go to the emergency department and let them know you’ve had a COVID-19 vaccine and they can provide immediate assistance. Most people who have serious side effects from the vaccine respond very well to treatment and recover quickly. All COVID-19 vaccines used in Australia are reliable, effective and free. They are free to anyone regardless of their visa or refugee status and you do NOT need a Medicare card to access a vaccine. Talk to your doctor or regular health professional to discuss any concerns you might have about getting vaccinated. To book your vaccine appointment at a state vaccination clinic call 1800 675 398. Press 0 if you need an interpreter. To book your vaccine appointment at a GP or Pharmacy, call the National COVID-19 vaccine helpline on 1800 020 080. Produced by National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters Council.
