Abstract
A few studies examined the comparative side effects of Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) vaccines. We compared the extension and severity of self-reported side effects of seven COVID-19 vaccines [BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech), ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca), mRNA-1273 (Moderna), CoronaVac (Sinovac Life Sciences), Gam-COVID-Vac (Gamaleya's Sputnik V), Ad5-nCoV (CanSinoBIO), and Ad26.CoV2.S (Johnson & Johnson/Janssen)] in the Mexican population. We also evaluated the association of type of vaccine, sex, age, comorbidity, and history of allergies to the extent and severity of side effects. This was a cross-sectional study carried out online between August 12 and September 3, 2021 in Mexico. The first inclusion criterion was to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and the second, being at least 18 years old. The survey link was distributed via multiple social media platforms. We questioned about the type of vaccine and symptoms based on short-term side effects reported in the literature. Side effect extension was classified as local, systemic, or both. We asked about the need to take medicine, stop activities/miss work, or seek medical attention. Then, a severity index was constructed based on responses. Descriptive and stepwise multivariate logistic ordinal regression analyses were used to calculate odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI for each outcome adjusted by potential confounders. The mean age was 38.9 ± 11.0 years (n = 4,024). Prevalence of at least one side effect varied between vaccines and by a number of doses. At dose 1, ChAdOx1 was the vaccine with the highest rate of at least one side effect (85%) followed by Gam-COVID-Vac (80%). Both were associated to greater extension (adjusted OR 2.53, 95% CI 2.16, 2.96 and adjusted OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.76, 3.29, respectively) and severity of side effects (adjusted OR 4.32, 95% CI 3.73, 5.00 and adjusted OR 3.00, 95% CI 2.28, 3.94, respectively). Young age (<50 years), female sex, comorbidity, and history of allergies were associated with greater extension and severity, independent of the type of vaccine and potential confounders. At dose 2, mRNA-1273 was the vaccine with the highest rate of side effects (88%) and the only vaccine associated to greater extension (adjusted OR 2.88, 95% CI 1.59, 5.21) and severity of symptoms (adjusted OR 3.14, 95% CI 1.82, 5.43). Continuous studies are necessary to acknowledge more post-vaccine symptoms in different populations.
Highlights
By January 2020, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection that originated in Wuhan, China had already spread to Europe and by March 2020, it had already spread to the whole world [1–4]
Prevalence and degree of adverse reactions differed by the number of doses and type of vaccine
Young age (
Summary
By January 2020, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection that originated in Wuhan, China had already spread to Europe and by March 2020, it had already spread to the whole world [1–4]. Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) vaccines emerged in record time. In Mexico, vaccination started in December 2020 and the administration was in stages according to priority groups with vaccines varying in type upon availability (Figure 1) [7]. Some Mexicans sought to receive a vaccine abroad, mainly the United States, where mRNA-1273 (Moderna), Ad26.CoV2.S (Johnson & Johnson/Janssen), and BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) were available. One, conducted from August to November 2020, identified 62.3% acceptance, 28.2% refusal, and 9.5% hesitancy [8]. The second, conducted in November 2020, reported 82% acceptance. Reports on the progress of coverage of the vaccination strategy in the country showed 20% of the target population fully vaccinated by August 2021 (beginning of the data collection of the present study), and 59% by the end of January 2022 [10, 11]
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