Adverse reactions after vaccination (NOP) in Poland: how to report
Short answer: A NOP is an adverse event after vaccination, usually within 4 weeks. Doctors must report suspected NOPs to the sanitary inspection within 24 hours, and any person can self-report online.
After a vaccination, most people feel nothing worrying. Some have a sore arm or a mild fever. A smaller number have a reaction that needs a doctor. Poland has a formal system for this, called NOP (niepożądany odczyn poszczepienny, an adverse reaction after vaccination). This page explains what the official sources say, as checked on 19 October 2026.
What counts as a NOP
According to the Zakopane sanitary inspection page (31 October 2025), a NOP is an unfavourable medical event that follows a vaccination. It may be an individual reaction to the vaccine, an administration error, or a coincidence. NOPs usually appear within 4 weeks of the shot. After the BCG vaccine the period is longer, up to 12 months on that page.
The NFZ health education site Akademia NFZ (article dated 25 February 2026) says most vaccinated people have no worrying symptoms. The common effects are local: redness, slight swelling and tenderness at the injection site. It gives local symptoms at about 1 in 10 doses, and anaphylaxis at 1 to 1.1 per million doses. The average reporting rate in Poland under the Protective Vaccination Programme is given as 0.05% of vaccinations.
Typical symptoms
Fever and feeling unwell are the most common general symptoms. Small children may be irritable, less active, cry inconsolably, eat less or sleep a lot. Akademia NFZ says these pass in 1 to 3 days. For unusual or worrying symptoms, it advises seeing a doctor.
Who reports a NOP
The Rypin sanitary inspection page (30 October 2025) says a doctor or felczer diagnoses a NOP. The doctor must report any suspected NOP to the local sanitary inspection (PSSE) within 24 hours. The Zakopane page says doctors report through the gabinet.gov.pl application, and that the duty comes from article 21 of the act on preventing and combating infections, with a fine for not complying under article 52.
The sanitary inspection keeps county and voivodeship registers. It informs the voivodeship pharmaceutical inspector about serious NOPs and sends a copy of the report to URPL, the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, and to NIZP-PZH, the national public health institute. According to the Zakopane page, URPL can order further tests or suspend or withdraw a vaccine's authorisation. NIZP-PZH publishes the data in its yearly bulletins "Szczepienia ochronne w Polsce".
Can a patient report it too
Yes. The Rypin page says any person can report a suspected adverse reaction themselves through the national reporting portal at https://smz2.ezdrowie.gov.pl/. This is separate from the doctor's duty, so a patient does not have to wait for the doctor to act.
What to do in practice
- Note the date, the vaccine name and the batch number from the vaccination record.
- Write down when symptoms began and how they changed.
- For severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or collapse, call 112.
- For milder but unusual symptoms, contact the doctor or clinic that gave the vaccine, or your family doctor.
What the sources do not say
The pages checked do not explain whether or how a person can get compensation for a serious NOP. They do not say whether the process differs for foreigners, or whether the self-report portal is available in English. They also do not describe what happens after a self-report, such as whether the reporter gets a reply. Anyone who needs this should ask the local sanitary inspection (PSSE) or the Patient Rights Ombudsman. These are official pages from sanitary inspection offices and the NFZ; they are general information, not medical advice.
* Photos: COVID-19 Vaccination (20210318-OC-LSC-0001), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Frequently asked questions
How long after a vaccination can a NOP appear?
The official pages say usually within 4 weeks. For the BCG vaccine the period is longer, up to 12 months on the Zakopane page.
Can I report a suspected adverse reaction myself?
Yes. The Rypin sanitary inspection page says any person can report through https://smz2.ezdrowie.gov.pl/. Doctors must also report suspected NOPs to the sanitary inspection within 24 hours.
Is a sore arm or mild fever a problem?
Akademia NFZ lists redness, slight swelling, tenderness and fever as common effects. See a doctor if symptoms are unusual or worrying.
