Vaccination is one of the most effective methods for preventing morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. Vaccine hesitancy has led to a decrease in vaccine uptake; driven by misinformation, fear, and misperceptions of vaccine safety. Whole inactivated vaccines have been used in one-fifth of the vaccine recipients in Africa, however there are limited real-world data on their safety. We evaluated the reported adverse events and factors associated with reported adverse events following vaccination with whole inactivated COVID-19 vaccines-BBiBP-CorV (Sinopharm) and CoronaVac (Sinovac). A quantitative survey evaluating attitudes and adverse events from vaccination was administered to 1016 adults presenting at vaccination centers. Two follow-up telephone interviews were conducted to determine adverse events after the first and second vaccination dose. Overall, the vaccine was well tolerated; 26.0% and 14.4% reported adverse events after the first and second dose, respectively. The most frequent local and systemic adverse events were pain at the injection site and headaches, respectively. Most symptoms were mild, and no participants required hospitalization. Participants who perceived COVID-19 vaccines as safe or had a personal COVID-19 experience were significantly less likely to report adverse events. Our findings provide data on the safety and tolerability of whole inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in an African population, providing the necessary data to create effective strategies to increase vaccination and support vaccination campaigns.
Keywords: COVID-19 vaccination; Sinopharm vaccine; Sinovac vaccine; inactivated COVID-19 vaccine; vaccine adverse events; vaccine hesitancy; whole attenuated vaccine.