Pattern of adverse events following immunization among recipients of first dose of ChAdOx1-S [recombinant] Covid-19 vaccine in a resource-limited country

Background/Aim: Vaccines are said to be associated with side effects. The aim of the study was to show the pattern and distribution of adverse events following immunization observed with ChAdOx1-S [recombinant] Covid-19 vaccine after the first dose.

Methodology: The study design was cross-sectional descriptive study over four weeks. We included records of 6589 high risk recipients of the vaccine and 33 of them who reported adverse events following immunization. The study used secondary data from the covid-19 vaccination register and District Health Information system II.

Result: Out of 6589 individuals vaccinated with the first dose of ChAdOx1-S [recombinant] Covid-19 vaccine, 69.66% were female, 69.49% were fifty-five years or less, 86.04% were health workers and 27.26% had comorbidity. Only 0.5% of those vaccinated reported adverse events following immunization out of which 0.41% was systemic, 0.06% local and 0.03% allergic reactions. The commonest systemic side effects were headache and dizziness while local adverse events had pain at injection site as the commonest side effect. Multiple swelling in the buttock and swelling of the face and lip were the only two cases of allergic reactions reported. Eighty-eight percent of those who reported side effects did so on the day of vaccination.

Conclusion The study reported less adverse events with the first dose of ChAdOx1-S [recombinant] Covid-19 vaccine than in other studies which included headache, dizziness and pain at the injection site. Most were reported in the first day of vaccination. There is need for encouraging vaccine recipients to report any adverse events following immunization.