Prospective Evaluation of Side‐Effects Following the First Dose of Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID‐19 Vaccine among Healthcare Workers in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Several different types of vaccines have been developed for the prevention of coronavirus disease (COVID‐19). Despite several local and systemic side‐effects to COVID‐19 vaccination reported, the vaccines are still considered the best intervention to tackle the spread of the virus and reduce the severity of COVID‐19 infection. However, the reported side‐effects continue to have a crucial role in public confidence in the vaccine and its acceptance. This study aimed to investigate the short‐term side‐effects reported by the healthcare workers (HCWs) in Saudi Arabia after receiving the first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1 nCoV‐19) COVID‐19 vaccine. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted among HCWs in the Jazan region of southwestern Saudi Arabia. Healthcare workers who had received the first dose of the COVID‐19 vaccine and agreed to participate in the study were followed up for 3 weeks post vaccination through a weekly online survey. Information was collected on local and/or systemic side‐effects reported following vaccine administration. Participants’ general and demographic information was also collected. Results: A total of 57.2% (250/437) of the HCWs who participated in this study reported at least one side‐effect. Injection site pain and redness (80.0%), fever (73.2%), whole‐body pain/fatigue (56.4%), and headache (48.8%) were the most commonly reported side‐effects. Moreover, 12.4% of the participants who reported side‐effects needed to see a physician, and only one female participant was admitted to the hospital. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that nationality (Saudi, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.65; 95% CI = 2.40, 5.55) and residency (Jazan governorate, aOR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.15, 0.95) were the significant factors associated with reporting COVID‐19 post‐vaccination side‐effects, while the number of reported side‐effects was found to be significantly influenced by occupation (medical, aOR = 0.42; 95% CI = 0.26, 0.66; p < 0.001) and gender (female, aOR = 0.61; 95% CI = 0.38, 0.97; p = 0.038). Conclusions: Findings of the present study support the safety of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID‐19 vaccine among HCWs in Saudi Arabia. All the reported side‐effects were mild‐to‐moderate side‐effects. The findings may help convince vaccine‐hesitant individuals and skeptics to accept the COVID‐19 vaccine.