The prevalence of adverse reactions among individuals with three-dose COVID-19 vaccination

Considering the adverse reactions to vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), some people, particularly the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, are hesitant to be vaccinated. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of adverse reactions and provide direct evidence of vaccine safety, mainly for the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions, to receive COVID-19 vaccination.

From 1st March to 30th April 2022, we conducted an online survey of people who had completed three doses of COVID-19 vaccination by convenience sampling. Adverse reaction rates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. In addition, conditional logistic regression was used to compare the differences in adverse reactions among the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions with the general population.

A total of 3339 individuals were included in this study, of which 2335 (69.9%) were female, with an average age of 32.1 ± 11.4 years. The prevalence of adverse reactions after the first dose of inactivated vaccine was 24.6% (23.1-26.2%), 19.2% (17.8-20.7%) for the second dose, and 19.1% (17.7-20.6%) for the booster dose; among individuals using messenger RNA vaccines, the prevalence was 42.7% (32.3-53.6%) for the first dose, 47.2% (36.5-58.1%) for the second dose, and 46.1% (35.4-57.0%) for the booster dose. Compared with the general population, the prevalence of adverse events did not differ in individuals with underlying medical conditions and those aged 60 and above.

For individuals with underlying medical conditions and those aged 60 and above, the prevalence of adverse reactions is similar to that of the general population, which provides a scientific basis regarding vaccination safety for these populations.