Adverse Reactions after BNT162b2 Messenger RNA Vaccination for Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Healthcare Workers Compared with Influenza Vaccination

Abstract

This study aimed to compare adverse reactions following BNT162b2 and influenza vaccinations in healthcare workers. This study included healthcare workers who received the BNT162b2 vaccine and/or inactivated influenza vaccine, quadrivalent (IIV4), on 18–29 October 2021 at a tertiary hospital in Korea. IIV4 was administered and BNT162b2 was subsequently administered one week later. The participants responded to a mobile questionnaire regarding adverse events. The overall adverse reaction rates were 90.6% in the BNT162b2 + IIV4 group, 90.4% in the BNT162b2 alone group, and 44.1% in the IIV4 alone group (p < 0.001). Fever occurred in 19.5%, 26.9%, and 3.3% of participants in the BNT162b2 + IIV4, BNT162b2 alone, and IIV4 alone groups, respectively (p < 0.001). The most common local and systemic adverse reactions were injection site pain (65.0%) and fatigue (58.6%), respectively. Injection-site pain was experienced by 88.7%, 88.5%, and 37.5% of the BNT162b2 + IIV4, BNT162b2 alone, and IIV4 alone groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Fatigue was experienced by 74.8%, 78.8%, and 38.6% of the BNT162b2 + IIV4, BNT162b2 alone, and IIV4 alone groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Adverse reactions occurred at a significantly higher frequency after BNT162b2 than after IIV4. The frequency of adverse reactions one week after vaccination with IIV4 and BNT162b2 was not different from that after vaccination with BNT162b2 alone. Therefore, coadministration of influenza vaccine with BNT162b2 can be expected to be safe.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Influenza Vaccination Coverage of Healthcare Personnel in Alicante, Spain

“…Another factor that influences HCWs when it comes to vaccination is the "fear of adverse effects (AEs)". Among these, local pain stands out as the main AE, data that coincide with those reported in the previous literature [51,52]. We must take into account that co-administration with the COVID-19 vaccine increased AE incidence [51], from 15 to 20% in our study.…”

“…Among these, local pain stands out as the main AE, data that coincide with those reported in the previous literature [51,52]. We must take into account that co-administration with the COVID-19 vaccine increased AE incidence [51], from 15 to 20% in our study. This difference may be due to a difference in reactogenicity compared to separate vaccine administration.…”

“…Thus, reducing barriers to vaccination and implementing active influenza vaccination campaigns among HCWs undoubtedly contribute to increased vaccination rates [4,25,32,47]. Active vaccination strategies [32,35,37,[42][43][44][45]51] that have proven to be effective include free vaccination, vaccine availability, active search of HCWs for on-site vaccination during working hours, resolution of doubts along with information dissemination, and flexibility of vaccination schedules at a fixed vaccination point. Nevertheless, despite implementing several strategies to improve vaccination rates postpandemic, we observe that the results have not been satisfactory.…”

Adverse Events Following mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine in 2021 and 2022: A Retrospective Analysis in Costa Rica and Italy

“…Upon analyzing the data presented in Table 2, an interesting observation arises: the occurrence of adverse effects is higher among females only in the Italian population of Naples. This observation is consistent with global data, which highlights that up to 68% of patients reporting adverse effects are women [22][23][24][25][26]. Various authors have discussed the importance of considering sex and gender considerations in the design and implementation of studies related to the development and impact of new vaccines for successful global vaccine rollout.…”

“…Neglecting to acknowledge the significant implications of sex and gender on vaccine efficacy, safety, and implementation can lead to adverse outcomes. Adopting a sex/gender-sensitive approach in these studies can address vaccine hesitancy, improve vaccine coverage, and enhance the effectiveness of vaccination efforts [22][23][24][25][26].…”