As you are aware, individuals in your facility have been receiving COVID-19 vaccines.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requests that clinically significant adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS). 

 

VAERS is a national early warning system to detect possible safety problems in U.S.-licensed vaccines.  Anyone can report an adverse event to VAERS:  healthcare providers, family members, or even patients.  In acute-care facilities or outpatient clinics, it is often healthcare providers who report adverse events to VAERS.  However, in more long-term care facilities, caregivers play an important role in providing CDC with vaccine safety information.

 

Please make a VAERS report of any deaths or serious adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination that may occur in the people that you are caring for, even if you do not think that the vaccine was involved in the adverse event.  An adverse event after COVID-19 vaccination does not mean that there is a cause-and-effect relationship.  However, VAERS reports provide CDC with important information that they can use to monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

 

An online VAERS reporting form is available at www.vaers.hhs.gov. 

 

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions.

 

Sincerely,

 

Karen Lewis, M.D.

Medical Director

Arizona Immunization Program Office

HEOC_Vaccine@azdhs.gov