Self-Reported Reactogenicity After Different COVID-19 Vaccination Regimens—an Analysis of Registry-Based Data

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Vaccinology
• Public Health

Background:

• COVID-19 vaccination data, including self-reported vaccination reactions (SRVR), are centrally registered in Rhineland-Palatinate.
• Analysis focuses on SRVR occurrences between December 2020 and December 2021.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the occurrence of SRVR in relation to different COVID-19 vaccine types and vaccination regimens.
• To compare reactogenicity between mRNA vaccines (BioNTech/Pfizer, Moderna) and viral vector vaccines (AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson).

Main Methods:

• Sex-specific logistic regression models were used to analyze local and systemic SRVR.
• Vaccination regimens included BNT/BNT, ChAd/ChAd, m1273/m1273, ChAd/BNT, and ChAd/m1273.
• BioNTech/Pfizer (BNT) or the BNT/BNT regimen served as the reference category.

Main Results:

• 887,052 individuals were analyzed; median age was 60, 58% were women.
• Most common SRVR were injection site pain and fatigue.
• Self-reported reactogenicity was lowest for BNT after the first dose and highest for Moderna (m1273) after the second dose. Viral vector vaccines showed higher systemic reactions.

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 vaccine tolerability is generally acceptable.
• Significant differences in self-reported reactogenicity exist based on vaccine type and vaccination regimen.