Adverse effects of COVID-19 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in children aged 5-18 years in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can infect children of all ages. Despite the fact that children have a lower risk of exposure and are tested less frequently than adults, their incidence is similar to that of adults. The most effective way to prevent COVID-19 infection is by vaccination. The study's objective was to document vaccination side effects in children aged 5 to 18 years. This cross-sectional study had 303 participating kids between the ages of 5 and 18 in its sample. During the months of March and April 2022, a validated modified questionnaire was circulated as a Google form to KSA citizens via social networking sites. The questionnaire asked questions about the participant's background, socio-demographic information, vaccination history, the mild and major adverse effects of the Pfizer vaccine and how those symptoms affected the child's health and quality of life. There was a total of 303 responses; all of them received two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech covid-19 vaccine. They were 163 female children (54 %) and 140 males (46 %).The most frequently reported minor adverse effects were body tiredness (88.2%), moderate fever (76.5%), mild headache (72.3%) and discomfort, redness and swelling at the injection site (90.7%). The most reported severe side effects were severe headache (32.8%) and high fever (21.8%). Only five children (4.2%) required hospitalization for 1-3 days. The most common side effects for the Pfizer Covid-19 were the mild and moderate one including pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, fatigue, fever and headache.Most of the symptoms were not severe to need hospital admission.