Adverse Events of Oxford/AstraZeneca's COVID-19 Vaccine Among Health Workers of Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Tigray, Ethiopia

Abstract Background The safety of COVID vaccines should be continuously followed and this study reports Adverse Events of one of the COVID-19 vaccines. Methods A prospective single-cohort study design was conducted to assess Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) and associated factors of first dose of Oxford/AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine in Ayder Comprehensive specialized hospital (ACSH). A structured questionnaire was administered consecutively to 423 participants. Follow-up data were collected 72 hours after vaccination via phone. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to see an association between adverse events and independent variables. Statistical significance declared at p Results Out of 423 health professionals who were approached, 395 responded. At least one adverse event (95% CI: 63.58, 72.77) was reported by 270 of them. Local and systemic symptoms occurred in 46.8% (95% CI: 41.94, 51.79) and 58.48% (95% CI: 53.53, 63.26)], respectively. Muscle ache, fatigue, headache, and fever were the commonest local symptoms. No reports of hospitalization, disability or death. Age (AOR=0.97, p=0.048), female sex (AOR=1.84, p=0.028), and comorbidity (AOR=2.28, p=0.040) were independent predictors of adverse events. Conclusion and recommendation AEFIs are commonly reported after first dose of COVID-19 vaccine; and age, female sex and comorbidity are independent predictors.