A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study Assessing Self-Reported Adverse Events following Immunization (AEFI) of the COVID-19 Vaccine in Bangladesh
Arifa Sultana,
Saimon Shahriar,
Md. Rafat Tahsin,
Sabiha Rahman Mim,
Kazi Rubiya Fatema,
Ananya Saha,
Fahmida Yesmin,
Nasiba Binte Bahar,
Mithun Samodder,
Md. Ariful Haque Mamun,
Md. Aknur Rahman,
Sonia Ferdousy,
Tahmina Akter,
Fahima Aktar,
Md. Ruhul Kuddus,
Md. Mustafizur Rahman,
Md. Moklesur Rahman Sarker,
Sultan Mehtap Büyüker,
Jakir Ahmed Chowdhury,
Abu Asad Chowdhury,
Shaila Kabir,
Md. Akter Hossain,
Md. Shah Amran
Affiliations
Arifa Sultana
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Saimon Shahriar
Molecular Pharmacology and Herbal Drug Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Md. Rafat Tahsin
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North South University, Plot # 15, Block # B, Bashundhara R/A, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh
Sabiha Rahman Mim
Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Uppsala University, 75123 Uppsala, Sweden
Kazi Rubiya Fatema
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North South University, Plot # 15, Block # B, Bashundhara R/A, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh
Ananya Saha
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Fahmida Yesmin
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Nasiba Binte Bahar
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Mithun Samodder
Department of Pharmacy, State University of Bangladesh, 77 Satmasjid Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh
Md. Ariful Haque Mamun
Molecular Pharmacology and Herbal Drug Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Md. Aknur Rahman
Molecular Pharmacology and Herbal Drug Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Sonia Ferdousy
Department of Pharmacy, Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology, Uttara, Dhaka 1230, Bangladesh
Tahmina Akter
Department of Physiology, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Fahima Aktar
Molecular Pharmacology and Herbal Drug Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Md. Ruhul Kuddus
Molecular Pharmacology and Herbal Drug Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Md. Mustafizur Rahman
Pharmacy Discipline, Life Science School, Khulna University, Khulna 9208, Bangladesh
Md. Moklesur Rahman Sarker
Department of Pharmacy, State University of Bangladesh, 77 Satmasjid Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh
Sultan Mehtap Büyüker
Department of Pharmacy Services, Üsküdar University, 34662 İstanbul, Turkey
Jakir Ahmed Chowdhury
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Abu Asad Chowdhury
Molecular Pharmacology and Herbal Drug Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Shaila Kabir
Molecular Pharmacology and Herbal Drug Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Md. Akter Hossain
Directorate General of Drug Administration, Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
Md. Shah Amran
Molecular Pharmacology and Herbal Drug Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Background: The Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine (Covishield) was the first to be introduced in Bangladesh to fight the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic. As this vaccine had shown some side-effects in its clinical trial, we aimed to conduct a study assessing short-term adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) in Bangladesh. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted on social and electronic media platforms by delivering an online questionnaire among people who had taken at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The collected data were then analysed to evaluate various parameters related to the AEFIs of the respondents. Results: A total of 626 responses were collected. Of these, 623 were selected based on complete answers and used for the analysis. Most of the respondents were between 30–60 years of age, and 40.4% were female. We found that a total of 8.5% of the total respondents had been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Our survey revealed that out of 623 volunteers, 317 reported various side-effects after taking the vaccine, which is about 50.88% of the total participants. The majority of participants (37.07%, 231/623) reported swelling and pain at the injection site and fever (25.84%, 162/623); these were some of the common localized and generalized symptoms after the COVID-19 vaccine administration. Conclusion: The side-effects reported after receiving the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine (Covishield) are similar to those reported in clinical trials, demonstrating that the vaccines have a safe therapeutic window. Moreover, further research is needed to determine the efficacy of existing vaccines in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections or after-infection hospitalization.
