COVID-19 vaccine side effect: age and gender disparity in adverse effects following the first dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine among the vaccinated population in Eastern Ethiopia: a community-based study

Adverse events of COVID-19 vaccination during 2021-2022 suppressed by breakfast consumption and favorable sleeping habit among Japanese university students

Introduction

Young adults are hesitant to receive the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination owing to concerns regarding adverse events despite the effectiveness of vaccines in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection-associated serious illness, hospitalization, and death.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Gifu University students receiving the mRNA-1273 vaccine and boosters to elucidate the real incidence of adverse events and factors that prevent them. We examined the adverse events and identified potential risk factors through a self-administered questionnaire on the participants' physical condition after COVID-19 vaccination.

Results

Focal/systemic adverse events were highly frequent among university students after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine; however, there were no life-threatening cases or hospitalizations over two years. A higher number of vaccinations (p < 0.001), female sex (p < 0.001), and lower body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.002) were associated with an increased incidence of adverse events on the day of COVID-19 vaccination or the day after vaccination. Regular breakfast consumption was significantly associated with a decreased incidence of post-vaccination itching (p = 0.019) and abdominal pain and diarrhea (p = 0.042). Sufficient sleep duration was significantly associated with a decreased incidence of post-vaccination abdominal pain and diarrhea (p = 0.042).

Conclusions

High frequency of adverse events of COVID-19 mRNA-1273 among Japanese university students was reported. A higher number of shots, female sex, and lower BMI were associated with a higher incidence of adverse events. Regular breakfast and sufficient sleep were associated with fewer adverse events. This study may provide a possible solution to the worldwide problem of vaccine hesitancy.

Short-term COVID-19 vaccine adverse effects among adults in Ekiti State, Nigeria

BACKGROUND

The safety of the COVID-19 vaccines has been a topic of concern globally. This issue of safety is associated with vaccine hesitancy due to concerns about the adverse effects of the vaccines. Consequently, this study determined the short-term safety profile of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Ekiti State, Nigeria.

METHODS

Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted between May and July 2021 among individuals who had received the first dose of the first batch of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. A Google form was used to collect data on the adverse effects of the vaccine.

RESULTS

Out of over 1,000 individuals who were approached, 758 respondents completed the study. A large percentage (57.4%) of those who received the vaccines were healthcare workers. Adverse effects were reported in 70.8% of the participants with most manifesting on the first day of the vaccination. The predominant adverse effects were injection site soreness (28.5%), followed by fatigue (18.7%) and muscle pain (8.6%). There was no report of severe adverse effects such as anaphylactic reactions, thrombosis, myocarditis, transient myelitis, or Guillen-Barre syndrome.

CONCLUSION

This study found that self-reported adverse effects of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine were mild and short in duration. This outcome has promising implications for improving COVID-19 vaccine uptake in the immediate environment and Nigeria.

Surveillance of COVID-19 vaccines: A comprehensive analysis of the first immunization drive in Ecuador

The initial phase of the COVID-19 vaccination in Ecuador occurred between April and November 2021. Initially, it focused on priority populations, including health professionals and other front-line workers. During this period, there was limited knowledge about the vaccine's adverse effects. A non-probability, observational study was conducted among university staff in Guayaquil, Ecuador, who received the AstraZeneca vaccine (n = 423) between April and November 2021. This study aimed to compare the acute adverse reactions by doses and to report the incidence of long-term adverse reactions within the AstraZeneca group. As a result, comparing acute adverse reactions between doses, the odds ratio for local pain, headache, muscle pain, fever, and chills are statistically higher after the first dose than the second dose. Survival curves indicated these symptoms appeared mainly within the first 6 h post-vaccination. This is the first pharmacovigilance study from Ecuador that analyzes survival probabilities for the AstraZeneca vaccine's adverse effects.

Self-reported side effects of COVID-19 vaccines among the public

Background

The safety, side effects and efficacy profile of COVID-19 vaccines remain subjects of ongoing concern among the public in Malaysia. The aim of this study was to determine the types of adverse effects following immunisation with COVID-19 vaccines and the differences based on various types of COVID-19 vaccines to raise public awareness and reduce vaccine hesitancy among the public.

Methods

A total of 901 Malaysian adults (≥18 years) who received various COVID-19 vaccines were selected to participate in our cross-sectional study through an online survey between December 2021 and January 2022.

Results

A total of 814 (90.3%) of the participants reported ≥1 side effect following COVID-19 immunisation. Of these, the predominant symptoms were swelling at the injection site (n = 752, 83.5%), headache (n = 638, 70.8%), pain or soreness at the injection site (n = 628, 69.7%), fatigue or tiredness (n = 544, 60.4%), muscle weakness (n = 529, 58.7%) and diarrhea (n = 451, 50.1%). Recipients of the Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty ®) vaccine reported the highest number of adverse effects (n = 355, 43.6%), followed by mixed COVID-19 vaccines (n = 254, 31.2%), the Oxford-AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1-®[recombinant]) vaccine (n = 113, 13.9%) and the Sinovac (CoronaVac®) vaccine (n = 90, 11.1%). The study showed that individuals who reported significantly more side effects were of elderly age, female gender and high educational level [P value < 0.05]. Mixed COVID-19 vaccine recipients also reported significantly more local and systemic symptoms after the first dose and third dose when compared with other single vaccine recipients.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated the types of self-reported adverse effects following immunisation with single and mixed COVID-19 vaccines. These findings may provide the side effects of different COVID-19 vaccines with the hope of educating the public on the safety profiles of these vaccines and reducing vaccine hesitancy among the public.

Follow-Up of Side Effects throughout the Entire Course of Coronavirus Vaccination

Vaccines are considered the best protective means against coronavirus infection. There is increasing interest in reporting the side effects of vaccines, especially for individuals younger than 18 years old. Accordingly, this analytical cohort study aims to report on the side effects of adult and young individuals who received vaccination within 24 h, 72 h, 5 days, and 1 week through the entire course of vaccination (ECoV). A validated online survey was used to collect information. In total, 1069 individuals were completely followed. Most individuals received the Pfizer vaccine (59.6%). Most individuals had received two doses (69.4%). Very strong and statistically significant associations with side effects (p < 0.05, Phi (Φ) > 0.25) throughout the ECoV were reported for the type of vaccine and female gender. Non-smokers reported weak statistically significant associations. Fatigue and localized pain were the most commonly reported side effect, with onset within 24 h and duration of less than 72 h. The prevalence of reported side effects was statistically significantly higher among young individuals (<18 years old) than among adults (X2 (1) =7.6, p = 0.006. Phi φ = 0.11).

Surveillance of Side Effects after Two Doses of COVID-19 Vaccines among Patients with Comorbid Conditions: A Sub-Cohort Analysis from Saudi Arabia

Background: Individuals with underlying chronic illnesses have demonstrated considerable hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccines. These concerns are primarily attributed to their concerns over the safety profile. Real-world data on the safety profile among COVID-19 vaccinees with comorbid conditions are scarce. This study aimed to ascertain the side-effects profile after two doses of COVID-19 vaccines among chronic-disease patients. Methodology: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among faculty members with comorbid conditions at a public educational institute in Saudi Arabia. A 20-item questionnaire recorded the demographics and side effects after the two doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The frequency of side effects was recorded following each dose of vaccine, and the association of the side-effects score with the demographics was ascertained through appropriate statistics. Results: A total of 204 patients with at least one comorbid condition were included in this study. A total of 24 side effects were reported after the first dose and 22 after second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The incidence of at least one side effect was 88.7% and 95.1% after the first and second doses of the vaccine, respectively. The frequent side effects after the first dose were pain at the injection site (63.2%), fatigue (58.8%), fever (47.5%), muscle and joint pain (38.7%), and headache (36.3%). However, pain at the injection site (71.1%), muscle and joint pain (62.7%), headache (49.5%), fever (45.6%), and stress (33.3%) were frequent after the second dose. The average side-effects score was 4.41 ± 4.18 (median: 3, IQR: 1, 6) and 4.79 ± 3.54 (median 4, IQR: 2, 6) after the first and second dose, respectively. Female gender, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, comorbidity > 2, family history of COVID-19, and the AstraZeneca vaccine were significantly associated with higher side-effect scores. Only 35.8% of study participants were satisfied with the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Conclusions: Our analysis showed a high proportion of transient and short-lived side effects of Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines among individuals with chronic illnesses. However, the side-effects profile was comparable with the safety reports of phase 3 clinical trials of these vaccines. The frequency of side effects was found to be associated with certain demographics, necessitating the need for further investigations to establish a causal relationship. The current study’s findings will help instill confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines among people living with chronic conditions, overcome vaccine hesitancy, and increase vaccine coverage in this population.