​Qaqambile Mdledle
The Department of Health has called on all people who experience any adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination to immediately report to their nearest health facility or vaccination site.
Each province and district have allocated persons who are responsible for investigating these adverse events following immunisation within 48 hours since it has been identified.
However, there is no time limit to reporting an event, the department said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Rare vaccine adverse events can be managed successfully if they are identified early. Uncommon, severe and serious adverse events should always be reported so that they are fully investigated, including those that need medical attention or hospitalisation."
The call follows a video clip circulating on social media platforms depicting a male patient suffering from what looks like throat cancer, claiming this to be the result of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Government has reiterated that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and highly effective in preventing hospitalisation and death in an event that one contracts the virus.
All vaccines and medicines have side effects, with most COVID-19 vaccine side effects being minor and resolving within 2 - 3 days, the department said.
While individuals respond differently to vaccination and side effects differ slightly among the vaccines, the most common side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines include headache, mild fever, chills, pain and or redness at the injection site, fatigue, muscle pain, and mild diarrhoea.
Department discourages members of the public from using other people's health conditions and life experiences to push theories to justify their opposition on vaccines.
Adverse events following vaccination may be reported using the Med Safety App: (https://medsafety.sahpra.org.za/) or by completing a paper 'Case report form' which may be accessed at https://www.nicd.ac.za/diseases-a-z-index/adverse [1]event-following- immunization-aefi/.
The form should be returned by email to AEFI@health.gov.za. Alternatively, the COVID-19 Public Hotline can be contacted on 0800 0299 99. 
Upon reporting the case, investigators will obtain the medical records of the person who experienced the adverse event and submit these data to the National Immunisation Safety Expert Committee (NISEC) without making any judgement themselves on the cause of the adverse event.