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Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major public health problem worldwide, and vaccination is currently the most effective way to control its spread and reduce its severity. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a prevalent chronic disease that poses a significant health risk and is a frequent comorbidity in COVID-19 patients. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the frequency of local and systemic side effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine among diabetic and non-diabetic participants. Methodology This multicenter study was designed as a cross-sectional prospective study and was conducted in Pakistan using a non-probability consecutive sampling method. The study duration was eight months from August 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023. A total of 700 participants who received both (first and second) doses of the AstraZeneca immunization were included in the study. An independent t-test was applied to determine the association between the means and standard deviations of age, height, weight, and duration of DM and hypertension. The chi-square test was used to evaluate the association between local and systemic side effects. Results Among the 700 participants, 173 (49.4%) males and 177 (50.6%) females had diabetes, whereas 183 (52.3%) males and 167 (47.7%) females did not have DM; their mean ages were 46.95 ± 12.73 years (diabetics) and 38.10 ± 14.14 years (non-diabetics). The most frequent adverse effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine after the first dose were pain at the injection site, reported by 259 (74.0%) diabetics and 226 (64.6%) non-diabetic participants; however, after the second dose, injection site swelling in 170 (48.6%) diabetic and 163 (46.6%) non-diabetic recipients was the most commonly reported local side effects. Conclusions This study concluded that concurrent medical conditions such as DM had substantially more local and systemic side effects than those without the disease. After receiving both doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, the most frequently reported local side effects in both diabetic and non-diabetic participants were pain, swelling, and burning at the injection site, followed by systemic side effects such as fever., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Rasheed et al.)

Background The administration of COVID-19 vaccines has been critical in controlling the spread of the virus. However, understanding the potential adverse events (AEs) associated with these vaccines is crucial for public health. While most previous studies observed only short-term AEs, this study aimed to investigate the immediate and long-term AEs following the first and second doses of Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm vaccines, providing valuable long-term insights. Methodology A prospective, one-year, follow-up study was conducted by tracking 922 vaccinated individuals to assess short-term and long-term AEs. Demographics, clinical characteristics, vaccine types, and dose effects were taken into consideration. AEs were classified based on severity and duration. Statistical analyses were performed to compare differences among the vaccine groups, with p-values <0.05 considered significant. Bowker's and chi-square tests were performed using JMP Pro 14.3.0. Results Of the 922 participants, 55.53% (n = 512) were vaccinated with Pfizer, and 23.32% (n = 215) and 21.15% (n = 195) were vaccinated with Sinopharm and AstraZeneca, respectively. Overall, 72.34% of participants (n = 667) were suffering from AEs after the first dose, with a lower prevalence of AEs after the second dose (52.71%, n = 486). Pfizer exhibited the highest percentage and severity of AEs, followed by AstraZeneca and Sinopharm. Most AEs reported in this study were mild and resolved within 72 hours, with females experiencing more frequent AEs. The common short-term AEs observed were fever, injection-site pain, myalgia, fatigue, and headache. Notably, there were no chronic AEs, and only one case of myocarditis was associated with AstraZeneca. Conclusions Despite the variation in the prevalence of AEs among the three vaccines, the vaccination process proved to be safe with no serious short-term AEs. However, the long-term AEs associated with AstraZeneca and the decrease in the prevalence of AEs after the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccines warrant further investigations and priority for future research., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Abdulkader et al.)

Introduction The most efficient method of combating the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic would be to use effective, safe, and proven vaccines; however, their widespread use has been hampered partly by concerns over possible adverse effects. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine side effects among participants. Methods This was a multicenter, cross-sectional study conducted using a non-probability sampling technique. The duration of the study was nine months, from February 1, 2022, to October 31, 2022. The study included 900 participants who provided informed consent and had received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Demographic characteristics of participants, such as gender, age, comorbidities, AstraZeneca vaccine with both doses along with booster dose, previous exposure to COVID-19 infection, and the prevalence of any local and systemic side effects following the first and second doses of vaccine, were documented. Results The study findings showed that of the 900 participants, 414 (46.0%) were males and 486 (54.0%) were females; their mean age was 40.72 ± 13.47 years. Among them, 198 (22.0%) had hypertension and 144 (16.0%) had diabetes mellitus. Following the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, pain at the injection site was the most commonly reported side effect in 594 (66.0%) participants. Moreover, swelling at the injection site was the most commonly reported side effect in 522 (58.0%) participants after receiving the second dose of the vaccine. The level of satisfaction showed that the majority of the 648 participants (72.0%) were satisfied with their vaccination. Conclusion This study concluded that pain at the injection site was the most commonly reported side effect, followed by swelling and fever after the first dose of the vaccine. Following the second dose of the vaccine, adverse effects included headache, swelling, and burning at the injection site., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Haider et al.)

Introduction Following the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic, Saudi Arabia took unpreceded precautions to prevent and control the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) infection. It is one of the first countries in the world to grant the authorization to use the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. This study aimed to assess the effect of one dose of COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech, Manhattan, New York City , and Oxford-AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom) among the Saudi population regarding symptom severity, hospital admission rate, and death. Methods An observational retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from COVID-19 surveillance records at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Saudi Arabia, from January to May 2021. All confirmed COVID-19 patients who had positive tests by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay of a nasopharyngeal swab were included in the study. Patients diagnosed outside KAMC and cases below 18 years old were excluded from the study. The research was approved by King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (NRJ21J/303/12). Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to estimate the odds of hospitalization among vaccinated and unvaccinated patients. Results A total of 1058 cases were included in the analysis. Two hundred sixty-five (265; 25%) patients were vaccinated with one dose of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Oxford Astra-Zeneca, and 793 (75%) were unvaccinated. The median age was 34 (IQR 25-51), primarily Saudi (94.6%) and male (59.5%). The odds of being vaccinated (CI: 1.284-2.882, P 0.002) were 1.924 times greater for males than females. Young patients below 40 had 1.997 times higher odds (CI: 1.238-3.222, P 0.004) of being vaccinated than patients above 60. The hospital admission rate was low among both groups (12.9%); however, it was significantly lower among the vaccinated group (2.3%) as compared to the unvaccinated (16.5%). The results showed significant differences in symptom severity among the groups. For vaccinated, only one patient (0.4%) died, one patient was admitted to the ICU, and one patient (0.4%) was admitted to the hospital isolation ward. On the contrary, among the unvaccinated group, 19 patients (2.4%) died, 17 patients (2.1%) were admitted to the ICU, and 114 patients (14.4%) were admitted to the hospital isolation ward. Conclusion This study demonstrates that one dose of COVID-19 vaccines, either Pfizer-BioNTech or Oxford-AstraZeneca, reduced the probability of death by 2% and hospital admission by 15% before the spread of the Delta variant (B.1.617). For generalizable results, nationwide studies using national surveillance data are recommended to assess multiple doses efficacy on different variants of the SARS-CoV-2 infection., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Alnemari et al.)

Introduction COVID-19 vaccine side effects have a fundamental role in public confidence in the vaccine and its uptake process. Thus far, evidence on vaccine safety has been exclusively obtained from manufacturer-sponsored studies; therefore, this study is designed to assess post-COVID-19 vaccine complications in Makkah province, Saudi Arabia. Method A cross-sectional study included 840 subjects conducted from August to November 2022 to collect data about COVID-19 vaccine side effects. A validated questionnaire was used with 21 multiple-choice items covering demographic data, COVID-19 vaccination type, side effects, and medication used to relieve side effects. The online Raosoft sample size calculator (Raosoft Inc., Seattle, Washington) was utilized for sample size calculation. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 22.0 (IBM Inc., Armonk, New York) was utilized to carry out descriptive statistics. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to evaluate normal data distribution. Significance of categorized data made by the Pearson's Chi-Squared test and of the vaccination side effects experienced in general wellbeing on a scale of 1-10 by the Kruskal-Wallis test. Result The survey found that most participants in the 18-26 age group were from Jeddah, women, and Saudis. Only 7.1% of participants had comorbidities alone, and 63.1% of participants had previously had COVID-19. The vaccine types used in this study were primarily Pfizer (83.3%), AstraZeneca (9.5%), Moderna (3.6%), and combination vaccines (3.6%). The majority of the participants received vaccination up to the third dose. No side effects were reported by 9.5% of participants, while mild and severe side effects were reported by 90.5% and 23.8% of participants, respectively. Mild side effects included injection site pain, redness, tenderness, or itching (34.5%), fatigue (22.6%), low-grade fever, chills, diarrhea, headache (17.9%), and myalgia (14.3%). Conclusion The majority of the side effects of COVID-19 vaccination were minor reactions (90.5%), but 23.8% were found to be serious side effects, most of which lasted one to three days. More independent studies are needed to investigate gender differences, COVID-19 vaccine efficacy, and the prevalence of side effects in other populations conducted by academic institutions. Additional independent research on vaccine safety is urgently needed to increase public confidence in vaccines and to better understand risk factors for vaccine side effects., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Sheriff et al.)

For the primary prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there are currently four different vaccines available in the USA. These are Pfizer (messenger RNA [mRNA]), Moderna (mRNA), Novavax (recombinant protein), and Jansen/Johnson & Johnson (adenoviral vector). All individuals should get vaccinated, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided comprehensive guidelines on recommended doses, their frequency by age group, and vaccine types, all discussed in detail in this article. Vaccines are a critical and cost-effective tool for preventing the disease. Prior to receiving a vaccine, patients should get adequate counseling regarding any potential adverse effects post vaccination. Appropriate safety precautions must be taken for those more likely to experience adverse consequences. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the symptoms, indicators, and treatment of any adverse event post-vaccination. We have provided a comprehensive review of the different characteristics of COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States, including their effectiveness against various variants, adverse effects, and precautions necessary for healthcare professionals and the general population. This article also briefly covers COVID-19 vaccines available worldwide, specifically their mode of action and effectiveness., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Goyal et al.)

Introduction Vaccinations against COVID-19 were licensed with limited testing assurances to the public triggering a widespread hesitancy around expected adverse reactions. Limited data was reported from Arabian Gulf countries on vaccine adverse effects. Objectives This study looked at the rate of reporting at least one side effect post-COVID-19 vaccination and its associated factors (sociodemographic characteristics, clinical condition, and type of vaccines). Additionally, questions about safety and willingness to recommend them were included. Study design Phone interviews on post-COVID-19 vaccination adverse effects were utilized to record responses related to reporting at least one side effect post vaccinations across the studied variables. Data collection continued for two months (from 1 st March to 30 th April 2021). Methodology Participants were adults (Omani citizens and non-citizens) who received AstraZeneca (AZ) or Pfizer (PF) vaccines from primary care facilities in Muscat and were randomly selected from the health information system. Responses were saved in a bespoke Google form/questionnaire. Chi-squared tests were utilized to determine potential factors associated with the dependent variable. Results A total of 753 participants completed the phone interviews. The mean age was 52 (3.5), males (54.1%), and 65.1% were Omanis. Hypertension (39.7%), diabetes (34.1%), and asthma (16.7%) were the commonest comorbidities. AZ and PF were administered to 78% and 22% of the participants. Of them, 49.8% reported at least one adverse effect post-COVID-19 vaccination. The proportion of participants with at least one adverse effect was significantly more in individuals who were younger, females, with more than secondary education, and employed (p value < 0.001, 0.01, <0.001, and <0.001, respectively). There was no severe reaction (anaphylactic shock) to the vaccines, and most adverse effects were mild-moderate. The proportion of individuals who reported adverse effects were higher with AZ vs PF (53% vs 38.6, p = 0.001). The most common reported localized adverse effects were pain and tenderness (28.3% and 12.1%). Fever and body aches were the commonly reported systemic adverse effects (33.5% and 29.2%). The safety of COVID-19 vaccines was well perceived, and most participants were willing to recommend them to others. Conclusions The current study confirms findings from existing literature on the mild to moderate adverse effects of AZ and PF vaccines. Despite the subjective nature of this study, it is reassuring that the studied COVID-19 vaccines can be administered safely. However, more longitudinal studies are needed to test their efficacy in disease prevention., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2021, Al Ghafri et al.)