Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Incidence and Nature of Adverse Events Following COVID-19 Second Boosters: Insights from Taiwan's Universal Vaccination Strategy

Ching-Hao Lin
,
Tsung-An Chen
,
Pin-Hsuan Chiang
,
Ai-Ru Hsieh
ORCID logo ,
Bih-Ju Wu
,
Po-Yu Chen
,
Kuan-Chen Lin
,
Zih-Syun Tsai
,
Ming-Hwai Lin
,
Tzeng-Ji Chen
ORCID logo ,
Yu-Chun Chen
* ORCID logo
Version 1 : Received: 1 January 2024 / Approved: 3 January 2024 / Online: 3 January 2024 (02:38:46 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Lin, C.-H.; Chen, T.-A.; Chiang, P.-H.; Hsieh, A.-R.; Wu, B.-J.; Chen, P.-Y.; Lin, K.-C.; Tsai, Z.-S.; Lin, M.-H.; Chen, T.-J.; Chen, Y.-C. Incidence and Nature of Short-Term Adverse Events following COVID-19 Second Boosters: Insights from Taiwan’s Universal Vaccination Strategy. Vaccines 2024, 12, 149. Lin, C.-H.; Chen, T.-A.; Chiang, P.-H.; Hsieh, A.-R.; Wu, B.-J.; Chen, P.-Y.; Lin, K.-C.; Tsai, Z.-S.; Lin, M.-H.; Chen, T.-J.; Chen, Y.-C. Incidence and Nature of Short-Term Adverse Events following COVID-19 Second Boosters: Insights from Taiwan’s Universal Vaccination Strategy. Vaccines 2024, 12, 149.

Abstract

This study evaluates the incidence and characteristics of adverse events (AEs) following the second COVID-19 booster dose, leveraging Taiwan's distinctive approach of extending booster vaccinations to all citizens, unlike the targeted high-risk group strategies in other countries. Utilizing data from Taipei Veterans General Hospital's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) from October 27, 2022, to January 19, 2023, the research examines AEs in 441 out of 1711 second booster recipients, considering factors like age, vaccine brands, and booster combinations. The findings reveal incidence rates (IR) of 25.6% (95% CI: 21.1-30.8) after the first booster and 24.9% (95% CI: 20.5-30.0) after the second, mostly non-serious, with those having AEs post-first booster 5 times more likely to report them again (Incidence rat rato, 5.02, P<0.001). Significantly, switching from the mRNA1273 vaccine to another brand reduced AE risk by 18%. The study underscores that AEs are more repetitive than cumulative with additional booster doses, advocating for personalized vaccination strategies based on individual medical histories and previous vaccine reactions. These insights are valuable for healthcare providers in discussing potential AEs with patients, thereby improving vaccine compliance and public trust, and for policymakers in planning future booster vaccination strategies.

Keywords

COVID-19 Booster Vaccination; Adverse Events; Vaccine Safety; Immunization Strategies; Pharmacovigilance; mRNA Vaccines; Taiwan's Vaccination Program; Real-World Evidence 

Subject

Medicine and Pharmacology, Immunology and Allergy

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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