Hib/Men C side effects

The Hib/Men C vaccine is very safe but as with all medicines, it can have side effects.

Very common reactions to the Hib/Men C

These reactions are common but also tend to be very mild and temporary. More than 1 child in 10 having the Hib/Men C vaccine experience:

• pain, redness or swelling at the site of the injection
• fever (temperature of 38°C or above)
• irritability
• loss of appetite
• sleepiness

Uncommon reactions to the Hib/Men C vaccine

Less common side effects are:

• crying
• diarrhoea
• being sick
• feeling generally unwell
• fever of 39.5°C or above

These less common side effects are also generally mild and short-lived.

Rare reactions to the Hib/Men C vaccine

A skin rash is a rare side effect of the hib/Men C vaccine.

Severe allergic reactions can also happen with the Hib/Men C vaccine, but they are extremely rare. The people who give vaccinations are trained to deal with severe allergic reactions and children recover completely with treatment.

Monitoring the safety of the Hib/Men C vaccine

In the UK, the safety of vaccines is routinely monitored through the Yellow Card Scheme by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Committee on Safety of Medicines. Levels of disease and vaccine uptake are recorded by the Health Protection Agency to measure the impact of vaccines on disease.

Most reactions reported through the Yellow Card Scheme have been minor reactions such as rashes, fever, vomiting, or redness and swelling where the injection was given.

Last Updated: 17/02/2022 16:04:05
The information on this page has been adapted by NHS Wales from original content supplied by NHS website nhs.uk