OBJECTIVES: To study the post-vaccination symptoms among the elderly

METHODS: All those who received the first dose of vaccine at the study site during March 2021 were contacted 14 days after receiving their first dose via telephonic call and were requested to answer a self-reported symptoms questionnaire to report any symptoms developed post-vaccination and its management. The data thus obtained were assessed categorically and represented as [n (%)].

RESULTS: A total of 188 vaccinations were recorded for March 2021 at the study site. Of the total, 108 (57.44%) were males and 80 (42.55%) were females. Majority of the respondents belonged to the age group of 65 – 69 years [59 (31.55%)]. Overall, 40 (21.27%) of the 188 respondents reported at least one post-vaccination symptom. The most prevalent symptoms reported were fever [24 (60%)], followed by myalgia [11 (27.5%)], and pain at injection site [2 (5%)]. Other symptoms such as fatigue, headache accounted for less than 1%. Paracetamol was the choice of drug for symptoms management among 50% of the respondents who developed symptoms. None of the symptoms were serious or had resulted in any hospitalization. Most of the respondents experienced symptoms that persisted for 1 day [19 (47.5 %)], followed by for 2 days [13 (32.5 %)].

CONCLUSION: There is a possibility of having reduced post-vaccination symptoms with advancing age and a linear correlation between age and post-vaccination symptoms development, suggestive of vaccine reactogenicity being age-dependent. However, the post-vaccine antibody response was not recorded. The fear of post-vaccination symptoms is a driver of vaccine hesitancy. The findings of this study will be reassuring to those who are fearful of the new vaccine. The fact that the symptoms were mild, predictable and the symptoms persisted mostly for only 1 day will help in reducing the vaccine hesitancy.