Comparison of COVID-19 vaccine’s side effects between mRNA and inactivated virus vaccine for health workers

Objective: Indonesian health workers mostly received three doses of vaccine, using two doses of inactivated viral vaccines, followed by the mRNA vaccine platform for the third dose. This study was conducted to investigate and compare the side effects of three vaccine doses using mRNA and inactivated viral vaccines platform for health workers.

Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted on health workers who received three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine completely and willing to follow the research. Data collected were demographic characteristics, previous disease history, history of COVID-19 infection, and post-vaccination local and systemic side effects. Data was collected based on self-report and analyzed with a confidence level of 95% (p<0.05).

Results: Overall, fifty-three participants received three consecutive doses of vaccine, consisting of two doses of inactivated viral vaccine (Sinovac) and followed by one dose of mRNA vaccine platform (Moderna). Post-vaccination side effects were more common after receiving the mRNA vaccine platform at 85% than after receiving the inactivated virus vaccine at 21%, with a significant difference for local swelling and all systemic side effects (p<0.05). After administering the mRNA vaccine platform, local pain, muscle pain, and swelling at the injection site are the most frequent side effects. Patients with a history of COVID-19 infection had more frequent post-vaccination side effects compared to no history of COVID-19 infection (100% vs. 83%), and all of the local and systemic side effects were significantly different (p<0.05). The most common side effects in patients with a history of COVID-19 infection are injection site pain, muscle pain, and swelling.

Conclusions: Post-vaccine side effects are mild and more common in mRNA vaccines platform than in inactivated virus vaccines. Post-vaccination side effects were higher in patients with a history of COVID-19 infection compared to naïve patients.