Study: No adverse effect requiring hospitalisation after receiving COVID vaccine in Nigeria

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) says a study conducted by the agency has shown that there are no adverse effects that require hospitalisation due to taking the COVID vaccine.

Faisal Shuaib, executive director of the NPHCDA, disclosed this on Thursday at a media briefing in Abuja.

According to him, the agency conducted a study across six states of the federation to “monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in enrolled adult individuals 18 years and above who have received the authorised COVID-19 vaccines”.

The six states are Anambra, Borno, Edo, Katsina, Lagos and Plateau.

“This study was led by Akin Osibogun, a professor of community medicine at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. The study sought to estimate the incidence of adverse events following immunisation with different brands of the COVID-19 vaccine in all enrolled immunised subjects,” Shuaib said.

“Findings of this study showed that 52.6% of enrollees (1,284 were enrolled) reported non-serious adverse effects and only 1 subject or 0.08% reported serious adverse effects in the first week following vaccination.

“None of the enrolled subjects who reported adverse effects required hospitalisation.

“The commonest reported symptoms among vaccinees were tenderness at injection site – 20.9%, and fever – 20.3%. Most of the reported symptoms (55.5%) occurred within the first three days of vaccination, while 40.2% of the vaccinees with reported symptoms could not recall the time of onset of symptoms.

“Adverse effects following immunisation were reported more in the older age groups, with 61.5% of those older than 60 years reporting symptoms, compared to 34.9% of those aged 18 to 24 years. The difference for age was statistically significant (p=0.003).

“Those with pre-existing morbidities were also observed to have higher rates of reported symptoms (AEFIs) than those without pre-existing morbidities, even though the observed difference was not statistically significant (p=0.551)

“The findings suggest that from the perspective of public communication, the vaccine is quite safe and the reported symptoms are mild and to be expected in the first three days following vaccination.

“Older vaccinees are to be particularly counselled as to what to expect and not to panic as the symptoms are mild and time-limited.

“During this study, there was no report of vaccine-induced COVID-19 or deaths related to the vaccines.”