Key result
Third BNT162b2 dose yields milder systemic reactions than the second dose, despite ~88% local pain.
Why the study?
Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants and uncertain protection duration highlighted the need for booster vaccinations, but few studies had evaluated the safety and reactogenicity profile of mRNA boosters.
What is the safety and reactogenicity profile in the 7 days following a third dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine in resident physicians?
Cross-Sectional (n=222)
No
What is the safety and reactogenicity profile in the 7 days following a third dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine in resident physicians?
The third dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine is associated with transient local and systemic adverse reactions that are generally milder and less common than those following the second dose.
The recent emergence of new variants of concern (VOCs) of SARS-CoV-2 and the uncertain duration of protection provided by the primary immunization cycle have highlighted the need for COVID-19 booster vaccinations. However, only a few studies have assessed the safety and reactogenicity profile of mRNA booster doses. Therefore, we conducted an online survey with the aim of assessing the adverse reaction profile in the 7 days following a third dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine in a population of resident physicians who had already been investigated after the primary vaccination. Among the 512 resident physicians (female = 53.2%, mean age = 29.8 years) invited to participate in the survey, 222 completed the survey (56.5% female, mean age of 29.9 years), with an average time from second to third dose of 8.6 months. The most common adverse reactions were local pain (88.3%), fatigue (58.1%), muscle/joint pain (44.1%), and headache (38.3%), all subsiding in 48-72 h. While the local reaction rate was similar to that following the first two doses, the systemic reactions were considerably less common and milder compared to the second vaccination. Nonetheless, over one third (36.1%) of participants reported interference with their normal activities. These results complement our previous findings and could aid occupational and public health professionals in the counselling of vaccinees.
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Rahmani et al. (2022) conducted a cross-sectional in COVID-19 vaccination adverse reactions (n=222). BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine (third dose) vs. Unexposed/Reference (or prior doses) was evaluated on Incidence of local pain at the injection site (95% CI 83.3-92.2). Following a third dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, the most common adverse reactions among resident physicians were local pain (88.3%) and fatigue (58.1%), with systemic reactions being significantly less frequent and milder than after the second dose.
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