Prevalence of Adverse Events Reported Following the First Dose of COVID-19 Vaccines in Bahia State, Brazil, from 2021 to 2022.

Background: Despite adverse events following immunization (AEFI) being well described in vaccine trials, there is a need to produce more real-world data on events supposedly attributed to vaccination against COVID-19. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of AEFI in the first dose of COVID-19 vaccines in the state of Brazil and to verify whether such events differ among the types of vaccines offered in this country. Methods: A population-based study using linked administrative data on vaccine registry and adverse events following immunization in 2021 and 2022. The study included 10,169,378 individuals aged 18 or over who lived in Bahia and received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccines. We calculated AEFI prevalence and verified differences among vaccines by logistic regression to estimate crude and adjusted by sex and age group prevalence ratio (PR). Results: The prevalence of AEFI was 74.3 per 100,000 doses applied, with a higher rate of nonserious events, mainly following the ChAdOx1-S. More than two-thirds of these adverse effects occurred in women, and almost half were between 30 and 49 years old. The individuals who received ChAdOx1-S had a 125% higher prevalence than those who received CoronaVac. Those who received BNT162b2 and Ad26.COV2.S had a 71% and 58%, respectively, lower prevalence of AEFI than those who received CoronaVac. Conclusions: The use of vaccines against COVID-19 has proven to be positive and effective in combating SARS-CoV-2, significantly reducing morbidity and mortality from the disease. We cannot deny the presence of adverse events in the context of vaccination. However, the vaccines have proven to be safe and reliable. The results of this study offer relevant data that can contribute to the qualification of AEFI pharmacovigilance in Brazil and worldwide.