STORY AT-A-GLANCE If you get a vaccine, including a COVID-19 vaccine, and your health deteriorates within hours, days or weeks of being vaccinated, the person who gave you the shot is required by federal law to file a report with the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) VAERS is the centralized vaccine reaction reporting system in the U.S., which was created under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 VAERS records the timing of the vaccination and onset of the adverse event; the age and current illnesses or medications taken by the person who reacted; past history of vaccine reactions; the name of the state where the person lives and other important information to help record and evaluate reported vaccine reactions The U.S. is operating under a public health emergency declaration and there is an even greater need to step up efforts to report vaccine reactions to VAERS, …