Purpose To evaluate the occurrence, extent, and severity of adverse reactions associated with the vaccine of COVID-19 (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or AstraZeneca) among Kabul University of Medical Sciences staff. Patients and Methods A retrospective observational, interview-based study was conducted from 4 to 20 April, 2021, to evaluate the adverse reactions associated with the vaccine of COVID-19 (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or AstraZeneca) among the staff and lecturers of the Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Kabul, Afghanistan. Participants were interviewed following the administration of the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccines. They were asked to report any adverse reactions that occurred within 8–10 days after vaccination. The frequency, duration, severity, and outcome of the reactions were recorded. Association of the adverse reactions was analysed with the ages of participants and previous infection with SARS CoV-2. Results The most common adverse reactions reported by the participants were muscle pain (68.3%), local pain (58.8%) at the site of injection (68.3%), fever (66.3%) and fatigue (66.3%). Almost half of the respondents reported chills, joint pain and headache after receiving the first shot of the vaccine. The frequency of adverse reactions was higher in participants aged 40 years or less, and in those previously infected with SARS CoV-2. The severity of most adverse reactions was mild to moderate. No serious case or death was reported. Conclusion The adverse reactions reported by the participants were mild to moderate in severity, and for a short duration. The findings of this study help us to address the vaccine hesitancy caused by worries about severe adverse effects associated with the COVID-19 vaccine.

To determine the prevalence of systemic diseases in patients looking for dental management in Medenta Oral and Dental Care.: The archived files of 2040 patients looking for dental management in Medenta Oral and Dental Care from 2018-2021 were retrieved and reviewed for systemic diseases. Out of 2040 patients, 1348 patients (67%) had systemic diseases. The most prevalent systemic diseases in descending order were gastro-intestinal disease (14.7%), anemia (14.3%), headaches (11.4%), depression (11.3%), and high blood pressure (5.6%). As the results indicate the prevalence of systemic diseases in dental patients is considerable, especially in women, so the dentists should pay attention while taking patients’ medical history as there could be some diseases or medications that are contraindicated for certain dental procedures or the patient may need special consideration during the treatment process. Hence, detailed and systematic history taking and accurate clinical examinations are required before starting any dental procedure.

Introduction Vaccine hesitancy is defined as “delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccination despite the availability of vaccination services”. The low acceptance rate of covid-19 vaccination, reported in many countries, is a big challenge in efforts toward putting end to the pandemic. Objective In this study, we aim to find ‎ the acceptance and hesitancy rates toward Covid-19 vaccine along with its reasons among medical students in Kabul. Methodology In this cross-sectional study that was conducted among medical students of five randomly selected universities in Kabul, a total of 459 medical students completed the questionnaire. Results The hesitancy rate for covid-19 vaccine among medical students was 42.3%, hesitancy rate in males was more than in female students. The essential reason for refusing of the vaccine was concerns about safety and adverse effect of the vaccine (62.3%). More than half of the participants (51.5%) have already been vaccinated. In 60.2% of participants, protection against the COVID-19 virus was the main reason for accepting the vaccine. This study indicates that social media was the leading source (64.3%) of information about vaccine hesitancy. Conclusion This study indicates a high level of hesitancy toward the COVID-19 vaccine among medical students. It is strongly advised to deliver accurate information on the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines to the community especially, medical students.

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