Adverse Reactions of COVID-19 Vaccines: A Scoping Review of Observational Studies

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic had a severe global impact. A range of campaigns and activities, including vaccines, are being implemented to counteract this pandemic. Using observational data, the goal of this scoping review is to identify adverse events connected with COVID-19 vaccinations. We conduct a scoping study and searched three databases from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 through June 2022. Based on our criteria and searched keywords, the review included eleven papers in total, with the majority of the studies being conducted in developed countries. The study populations varied and included general community populations, healthcare professionals, military forces, and patients with systemic lupus and cancer. This study includes vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford-AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, and Moderna. The COVID-19 vaccine-related adverse events were classified into three types: local side effects, systemic side effects, and other side effects such as allergies. The adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines are mild to moderate in severity, with no significant influence or interference in individual daily activities and no unique patterns in cause of death among vaccine-related deaths. According to the findings of these investigations, the COVID-19 vaccine is safe to administer and induces protection. It is vital to convey accurate information to the public about vaccination side effects, potential adverse responses, and the safety level of the vaccines supplied. Multiple strategies must be implemented at the individual, organizational, and population levels to eliminate vaccine hesitance. Future studies could investigate the vaccine's effect on people of various ages and medical conditions.

Incidence and Nature of Adverse Events Following COVID-19 Second Boosters: Insights from Taiwan's Universal Vaccination Strategy

“…Additionally, the reliance on self-reported data may lead to an inflated incidence rate due to the underreporting of non-events. There is notable variability in AE incidence rates across large pharmacovigilance databases, as seen in recent studies [8][9][10][11][12]. Our findings contribute further insights into common but non-fatal AEs, consistent with the general profile of vaccine-related side events that are typically transient and resolve without serious consequences [2,[8][9][10][11]34,35].…”

“…While vaccines remain one of the most effective means to prevent diseases, vaccine-related adverse events have always been a concern for the public [5][6][7]. Recent studies from large pharmacovigilance databases indicate substantial variability in adverse event incidence rates, emphasizing the need for context-specific analysis in vaccine safety surveillance to maintain public trust and inform future vaccination strategies [8][9][10][11][12]. There are numerous reports of Disclaimer/Publisher's Note: The statements, opinions, and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s).…”

Acceptance, tolerability, and effect of COVID-19 vaccination on disease activity in a cohort of Egyptian systemic lupus erythematosus patients: Real-life experience

“…The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) [17] and the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) recommend COVID-19 vaccines for people with AIRD, including SLE [18]. Some research has been done to study COVID-19 vaccination in the context of lupus patients, including patients' attitudes towards the vaccine, the efficacy of the vaccine in the prevention of COVID-19 infection, its safety profile and side effects, the effect of the vaccine on lupus activity [14,[19][20][21]. This study examines the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination among SLE patients, adverse reactions, as well as its effect on disease activity in a cohort of Egyptian lupus patients due to the paucity of research on lupus and the COVID-19 vaccination in the Middle East.…”

“…Some of them reported adverse effects in 50% to 90% of patients [4] and others in 30% of general populations [27]. Local injection and systemic adverse reactions such as right bundle branch block, fatigue, fever, myalgia, headache, sinus and dyspnea tachycardia, nausea, premature ventricular contractions, and chills may occur [19,[28][29][30]. Those who received the Sinopharm vaccine demonstrated more side effects following the first dose, and those with prior comorbidities experienced more complications, whereas those who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine demonstrated more side effects following the second dose especially in previously infected persons [31].…”

Acceptability, hesitancy and willingness to pay for COVID-19 vaccine among Lagos residents

“…37 Another study in Israel corroborated this finding as participants responded that they were worried about the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines. 39 Though there is evidence that adverse effects may arise from vaccination, they are generally mild. 40…”