Post-authorization safety of COVID-19 vaccine: A prospective and observational study among health-care workers in Tumakuru

ABSTRACT

The World Health Organization declared the virus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020, and later a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Since 2021, variants of the virus have resulted in further waves in several countries, with the delta variant being the most virulent. Following Ethics Committee approval and permission from District Health Officer (DHO), Tumkur, Karnataka, contact details of (either gender;age >25 years) 2650 health-care workers (ASHA, Clerical/Administrative Staff, Medical Officers, Nurses and Supervisors Others, Para Medical Staff, Students, and Support Staff) who had received first dose of Covisheild vaccine and willing to respond were enrolled for the study during February 2021. Through telecalling, health-care workers demographic data (age, gender, and comorbidities) and any type of adverse reactions (fever, headache, myalgia, pain at the injection site, or any other specified symptoms using the WHObased adverse event following immunization (AEFI) form) following first dose of vaccination (after 30 min of observation period) were noted. [...]dose was received by only 98% of the participants.