Prevention is still better than cure

As with any medication, no one can completely rule out the possibility of side effects associated with vaccines, but people can minimize the risks if they take appropriate measures, medical experts say.

Vaccines are not appropriate for certain people, and before receiving one, it is wise to look through the description which can be easily found online, or in the document a patient must sign before getting vaccinated at a hospital, says Zhang Wenli, a pediatrician and vaccination specialist with No 3 Hospital of Peking University.

"Even if vaccines have side effects, many of them can be avoided, especially severe ones," Zhang says.