VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENT

U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services 

Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention 

Many vaccine information statements are 

available in Spanish and other languages. 

See www.immunize.org/vis

Hojas de información sobre vacunas están 

disponibles en español y en muchos otros 

idiomas. Visite www.immunize.org/vis

Ebola Vaccine: 

What You Need to Know

1. Why get vaccinated?

Ebola vaccine can prevent Ebola virus disease (Zaire 

ebolavirus).

Ebola virus disease is a rare disease that most commonly 

affects people and nonhuman primates (such as monkeys, 

gorillas, and chimpanzees). Outbreaks of Ebola virus disease 

occur mostly on the African continent.

Ebola virus spreads through direct contact with the 

blood, body fluids, and tissues of people or animals who 

are infected with the virus or who have died of Ebola 

virus disease.

Health care workers and family and friends in close contact 

with people with Ebola virus disease are at the highest 

risk of infection. There is little risk of catching Ebola virus 

disease for travelers or the general public who have not 

cared for or been in close contact with someone infected 

with Ebola virus.

A person can only spread Ebola virus to other people after 

they develop symptoms. Symptoms of Ebola virus disease 

may appear between 2 to 21 days after contact with the 

virus. Early symptoms of Ebola virus disease often include 

fever, aches, pain, sore throat and fatigue and progress 

to symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, unexplained 

hemorrhaging, and bleeding. Later, an infected person might 

experience symptoms of red eyes, skin rash, and hiccups.

Ebola virus disease is often deadly. Recovery depends on 

good supportive clinical care and the patient’s immune 

response. Treatments that have become available in recent 

years are also increasing overall survival.

People who survive Ebola virus disease may have health 

problems after they recover. The most common problems 

are tiredness, headaches, muscle and joint pain, eye and 

vision problems (such as blurry vision, pain, redness, and 

sensitivity to light), weight gain, stomach pain, or loss of 

appetite. Other health problems can also occur. In some 

survivors, the virus may be hiding in certain areas of the 

body after they recover from the disease and can cause 

symptoms again later.

2. Ebola vaccine

Ebola vaccine is a live virus vaccine that is administered as a 

single dose by injection into a muscle. The vaccine contains 

a weakened strain of the vesicular stomatitis virus that has 

been altered to contain a gene from the Ebola virus. Because 

the Ebola vaccine only contains a gene from the Ebola virus 

instead of the whole Ebola virus, it cannot cause Ebola virus 

disease in the person being vaccinated or in other people 

who have contact with the person being vaccinated.

Ebola vaccine is recommended by CDC for adults 18 years 

and older at high risk for potential exposure to Ebola virus 

because they are:

 Responding or planning to respond to an outbreak of 

Ebola virus disease

 Laboratorians or other staff working at biosafety-level 4 

or laboratory response network facilities in the United 

States that might handle specimens that might contain 

live Ebola virus

 Health care personnel working at federally or state 

designated special pathogen treatment centers in the 

United States involved or expected to be involved in the 

care and transport of patients with suspected or confirmed 

Ebola virus disease

A booster dose of Ebola vaccine is available for people at 

least 6 months after the single dose under an expanded 

access Investigational New Drug (IND) program. Booster 

dose eligibility is assessed on an individual basis. Talk with 

your health care provider if you have questions.

3. Talk with your health 

care provider

Tell your vaccination provider if the person getting 

the vaccine:

 Has had an allergic reaction after a previous dose 

of Ebola vaccine, or has any severe, life-threatening 

allergies, including to rice protein

 Is or planning to be pregnant or breastfeeding

 Has a weakened immune system or has close contact 

with someone who has a weakened immune system
OFFICE 

USE 6/30/2022 ONLY

Vaccine Information Statement

Ebola Vaccine

In some cases, your health care provider may decide to 

postpone Ebola vaccination until a future visit.

People with minor illnesses, such as a cold, may be 

vaccinated. People who are moderately or severely ill should 

usually wait until they recover before getting Ebola vaccine.

Your health care provider can give you more information.

4. Risks of a vaccine reaction

 Pain, swelling, and redness where the shot is given can 

happen after Ebola vaccination.

 Headache, fever, muscle pain, fatigue or tiredness, nausea, 

skin rash (including blisters), and abnormal sweating can 

happen after Ebola vaccination.

 Joint pain or swelling can occur after Ebola vaccination. 

Although rare, the joint pain or swelling can be severe and 

long lasting.

 Arthritis or worsening arthritis can occur after Ebola 

vaccine, most frequently in women and people with a 

medical history of arthritis.

 Certain white blood cell counts can become lower than 

normal after Ebola vaccination but are not associated with 

illness and go back to normal.

Ebola vaccine contains a live virus. It is possible that 

the vaccine virus might be transmitted to other people. 

Vaccinated people should take measures to prevent 

spreading the virus after Ebola vaccination:

 Do not donate blood for at least 6 weeks.

 Avoid sharing needles, razors, toothbrushes, and eating/

drinking utensils and dishes and open-mouth kissing for 

2 weeks.

 Use effective barrier methods to prevent pregnancy for 

2 months.

 Consider avoiding close contact with high-risk people 

for up to 6 weeks. High-risk people include people with 

weakened immune systems, people who are pregnant or 

breastfeeding, and children younger than 1 year old.

 Try to avoid exposing livestock to blood or body fluids for 

at least 6 weeks.

 If you develop a rash after vaccination, cover the rash with 

a bandage until healed. Dispose of used bandages in a 

sealed plastic bag and wash hands with soap and water.

People sometimes faint after medical procedures, including 

vaccination. Tell your provider if you feel dizzy or have 

vision changes or ringing in the ears.

As with any medicine, there is a very remote chance of a 

vaccine causing a severe allergic reaction, other serious 

injury, or death.

5. What if there is a serious 

problem?

An allergic reaction could occur after the vaccinated person 

leaves the clinic. If you see signs of a severe allergic reaction 

(hives, swelling of the face and throat, difficulty breathing, a 

fast heartbeat, dizziness, or weakness), call 9-1-1 and get the 

person to the nearest hospital.

For other signs that concern you, call your health 

care provider.

Adverse reactions should be reported to the Vaccine 

Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Your health 

care provider will usually file this report, or you can do it 

yourself. Visit the VAERS website at www.vaers.hhs.gov or 

call 1-800-822-7967. VAERS is only for reporting reactions, 

and VAERS staff members do not give medical advice.

6. Countermeasures Injury 

Compensation Program

The Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program is 

a federal program that may help pay for costs of medical 

care and other specific expenses of certain people who have 

been seriously injured by certain medicines or vaccines. 

If you have been injured by the Ebola vaccine, you can 

learn more about this Program by visiting the program’s 

website at www.hrsa.gov/cicp, or calling 1-855-266-2427

(855-266-CICP).

7. How can I learn more?

 Ask your health care provider.

 Call your local or state health department.

 Visit the website of the Food and Drug Administration 

(FDA) for vaccine package inserts and additional 

information at www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/

vaccines.

 Contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC):

- Call 1-800-232-4636 (1-800-CDC-INFO) or

- Visit CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/vhf/Ebola/index.

html.