Post–Vaccination Side Effects After the First Dose of Inactive CoronaVac® in Healthcare Personnel in Türkiye

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the side effects observed in healthcare personnel who were the first to receive the first dose of inactivated CoronaVac® vaccine in Turkey. Healthcare personnel vaccinated for the first time with the inactivated CoronaVac® vaccine between February and March 2021 during the initial administration of COVID-19 vaccines were asked to respond to an online questionnaire to investigate local and systemic side effects they observed after vaccination. Of the 2601 participants included in the study, 72.5% (n=1886) were female, and 27.5% (n=715) were male. The mean age was 37.6±11.7 years. Regarding side effects, 39.9% had at least one local side effect, and 54.4% had at least one systemic side effect. These side effects lasted for 4.0±2.6 days on average. The three most common local side effects were local pain (38.1%), swelling (1.9%) and redness (1.5%), whereas the most common systemic side effects were weakness (28.4%), headache (27.9%), fatigue (26%), myalgia (18.2%), and arthralgia (11.8%). Systemic side effects were significantly more common in females, nurses and midwives, younger age groups, and people without a history of chronic disease (P<0.05). Myalgia and fever were significantly more common in people without a previous history of COVID-19, but localized redness was found more often in people with previous COVID-19 (P<0.05). This comprehensive study reveals the potential side effects expected due to CoronaVac®, as healthcare personnel are more conscious of observing their symptoms. It is worth noting that severe or long–term side effects were not detected.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• vaccination
• side effect
• inactivated vaccine
• CoronaVac

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