Swissport actively encourages its employees to get vaccinated. While in some places it is very easy and convenient to get vaccinated, it can be time-consuming and complicated in other places. Therefore, our support differs from location to location. Please check with your supervisor or HR manager.

The home office policy varies from location to location. Please ask your supervisor or HR manager. Due to local regulations and the specific pandemic situation, which varies greatly from place to place, the home office policy also differs from place to place. Please consult your supervisor or HR manager.

There are strict protections in place to help ensure the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines. Before receiving validation from WHO and national regulatory agencies, COVID-19 vaccines must undergo rigorous testing in clinical trials to prove that they meet internationally agreed benchmarks for safety and efficacy.

Unprecedented scientific collaborations have allowed COVID-19 vaccine research, development, and authorizations to be completed in record time – to meet the urgent need for these vaccines while maintaining high safety standards. As with all vaccines, WHO and regulatory authorities will continuously monitor the use of COVID-19 vaccines to identify and respond to any safety issues that might arise, and through that process to assure they remain safe for use around the world. (Source: WHO)

Like any vaccine, COVID-19 vaccines can cause mild, short term side effects, such as a low-grade fever or pain or redness at the injection site. Most reactions to vaccines are mild and go away within a few days on their own. More serious or long-lasting side effects to vaccines are possible but extremely rare. Vaccines are continually monitored for as long as they are in use, to detect rare adverse events and implement approaches to limit their occurrence.

Reported side effects to COVID-19 vaccines have mostly been mild to moderate and short-lasting. They include: fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, diarrhoea, and pain at the injection site. The chances of any of these side effects following vaccination differ according to the specific COVID-19 vaccine.

In most cases, these can be managed with rest, plenty of non-alcoholic liquids, and paracetamol/acetaminophen for the typical side effects. Contact your care provider if the tenderness (pain) where you got the injection increases after 24 hours, or the side effects do not go away within a couple days. If you have difficulty breathing, chest pain, confusion, loss of speech or mobility, call a healthcare provider immediately. (Source: WHO)

Severe allergic reactions have occurred rarely to some of the COVID vaccines. A severe allergic reaction – such as anaphylaxis – is a potential but rare side effect with any vaccine. In persons with a known risk, such as previous experience of an allergic reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine or any of the known components in the vaccine, precautions may need to be taken.

WHO recommends that healthcare providers assess the risk for severe allergic reactions prior to giving a COVID-19 vaccine by inquiring about previous reactions or known allergies to any components in the vaccine.  All immunization providers should be trained to recognize severe allergic reactions and take steps to treat such reactions if they occur.

COVID-19 vaccine use is being closely monitored by national authorities and international bodies, including WHO, to detect serious side effects, including any unexpected reactions. This is helping us better understand and manage the specific risks of allergic reactions or other serious side effects to COVID-19 vaccines that may not have been detected during clinical trials, ensuring safe vaccination for all. (Source: WHO)

While COVID-19 vaccines have high levels of efficacy, especially against hospitalization and severe disease, no vaccine is 100% protective. As a result, there will be some small percentage of vaccinated people who fall ill with COVID-19 in spite of being vaccinated.

In addition to a vaccine's specific characteristics, several factors such as a person's age, their underlying health conditions, previous COVID-19 disease, current exposure to SARS-CoV-2, or the circulation of virus variants may have an impact on a vaccine’s effectiveness. We do not yet know how long immunity from different COVID-19 vaccines will last. That is one reason why, even as COVID-19 vaccines are being rolled out, we must continue using all public health measures that work to decrease exposure risk, such as physical distancing, masks, and handwashing.

For the first 14 days after getting vaccinated, you do not have significant levels of protection as the protection increases gradually. For a single dose vaccine, protection is generally considered to occur by two weeks after vaccination. For two-dose vaccines, both doses are needed to achieve the highest level of immunity possible.

While a COVID-19 vaccine is most effective against serious illness and death, we are still learning about their ability to protect you from getting infected and passing the virus on to others. To help keep yourself and others safe, and while vaccination rolling out in your community, continue to maintain at least a one metre distance from others, cover a cough or sneeze in your elbow, clean your hands frequently and wear a mask, particularly in enclosed, crowded or poorly ventilated spaces. Always follow guidance from local authorities based on the situation and risk where you live. (Source: WHO)

Medical professionals can best advise individuals on whether or not you should receive a COVID-19 vaccine. There are very few conditions that would exclude someone from being vaccinated. Based on available evidence, people with a history of severe allergic reactions to any ingredients of the COVID-19 vaccine should generally be excluded from COVID-19 vaccination in order to avoid possible adverse effects.

If you are currently sick or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, you can get vaccinated once your primary symptoms have resolved.

In addition to the general recommendations above, each vaccine may have specific considerations for specific populations and health conditions. (Source: WHO)