Adverse reactions following Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine among ”Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia” Clinical Psychiatry Hospital medical staff

Abstract

From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, health organizations and medical scientists worked hard to develop a vaccine that can protect against COVID-19. Given the increased interest of the general population in the side effects occurring after being vaccinated, the aim of this study is to illustrate their frequency and their sub­jec­tive intensity. The ”Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia” Cli­ni­cal Psy­chia­try Hospital medical staff members who re­ceived the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine between January 2021 and March 2021 were questioned about the ad­verse reactions after the first and the second dose. The ques­tion­naires were anonymous. A total of 201 persons answered the ques­tion­naire after the first vaccine dose, and 150 persons answered after the second shot. 91% of the respondents experienced at least one local reaction at the injection site after the first dose, compared to 87.33% after the second dose. The most frequent local reactions were represented by pain at the site of injection and difficulty moving the arm. Systemic reactions were more frequently reported after booster shot, compared to the first dose (p=0.002): 49.8% of the subjects had systemic reactions after the first dose, while 66.7% experienced them after the second one. The most frequently reported systemic reactions were drowsiness, fatigue, myalgia, headache, low-grade fever and chills. The intensity of adverse effects was mild to moderate, with 72% of the subjects considering the intensity of adverse reactions after the second shot as being greater than after the first shot. No anaphylactic reactions or other complications or severe side effects were mentioned in the analyzed group.