The Most Common Side Effects of AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine among Saudi Arabian Population: A Systematic Review

Abstract

In order to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the AstraZeneca vaccine was introduced in the Saudi Arabian vaccination campaign. AstraZeneca was rapidly developed, and side effects have been reported following vaccination. This review aims to evaluate the adverse side-effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine within the Saudi population. A literature search of the national and international databases PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Embase databases, and Cochrane Library using the search terms “Covid-19 vaccine”, “AstraZeneca post-vaccination,” and “Covid-19 vaccine Saudi Arabia” in combination with the terms “side effects,” “adverse effects,” and “Covid-19 AstraZeneca” was performed. Articles published before 12 January 2022 were eligible for screening. A total of seven articles met the inclusion criteria, totaling 4838 participants. The most common side effects were fever and either pain or redness at the site of the injection. Furthermore, systemic reactions to AstraZeneca accounted for approximately 80% of adverse effects following vaccination. In sum, AstraZeneca appears to have mild to moderate side effects.