COVID-19 vaccine reactogenicity among participants enrolled in the GENCOV study

Gregory Morgan; Selina Casalino; Sunakshi Chowdhary; Erika Frangione; Chun Yiu Jordan Fung; Elisa Lapadula; Saranya Arnoldo; Erin Bearss; Alexandra Binnie; Bjug Borgundvaag; Laurent Briollais; Marc Dagher; Luke Devine; Steven M Friedman; Zeeshan Khan; Chloe Mighton; Konika Nirmalanathan; David Richardson; Seth Stern; Ahmed Taher; Dawit Wolday; Jordan Lerner-Ellis; Jennifer Taher

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.030

COVID-19 vaccine reactogenicity among participants enrolled in the GENCOV study

Vaccine. 2024 Apr 19;42(11):2733-2739. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.030. Epub 2024 Mar 23.

Authors

Gregory Morgan¹, Selina Casalino², Sunakshi Chowdhary³, Erika Frangione², Chun Yiu Jordan Fung², Elisa Lapadula², Saranya Arnoldo⁴, Erin Bearss⁵, Alexandra Binnie⁶, Bjug Borgundvaag⁷, Laurent Briollais⁸, Marc Dagher⁹, Luke Devine¹⁰, Steven M Friedman¹¹, Zeeshan Khan¹², Chloe Mighton¹³, Konika Nirmalanathan¹⁴, David Richardson¹⁵, Seth Stern¹², Ahmed Taher¹⁶, Dawit Wolday¹⁷, Jordan Lerner-Ellis¹, Jennifer Taher¹⁸

Affiliations

¹ Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
² Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada.
³ Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada.
⁴ Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; William Osler Health System, Brampton, ON L6R 3J7, Canada.
⁵ Mount Sinai Academic Family Health Team, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON M5T 3L9, Canada; Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1V7, Canada.
⁶ Department of Critical Care, William Osler Health System, Etobicoke, ON M9V 1R8, Canada.
⁷ Schwartz/Reisman Emergency Medicine Institute, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON M5G 2A2, Canada.
⁸ Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada.
⁹ Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1V7, Canada; Women's College Hospital, Toronto, ON M5S 1B2, Canada.
¹⁰ Division of General Internal Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
¹¹ Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1V7, Canada; Emergency Medicine, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada.
¹² Mackenzie Health, Richmond Hill, ON L4C 4Z3, Canada.
¹³ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON M5B 1A6, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3M6, Canada.
¹⁴ Emergency Medicine, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada.
¹⁵ William Osler Health System, Brampton, ON L6R 3J7, Canada.
¹⁶ Mackenzie Health, Richmond Hill, ON L4C 4Z3, Canada; Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H2, Canada.
¹⁷ Department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
¹⁸ Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada. Electronic address: jennifer.taher@sinaihealth.ca.

PMID: 38521677
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.030

Abstract

Background: GENCOV is a prospective, observational cohort study of COVID-19-positive adults. Here, we characterize and compare side effects between COVID-19 vaccines and determine whether reactogenicity is exacerbated by prior SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods: Participants were recruited across Ontario, Canada. Participant-reported demographic and COVID-19 vaccination data were collected using a questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess whether vaccine manufacturer, type, and previous SARS-CoV-2 infection are associated with reactogenicity.

Results: Responses were obtained from n = 554 participants. Tiredness and localized side effects were the most common reactions across vaccine doses. For most participants, side effects occurred and subsided within 1-2 days. Recipients of Moderna mRNA and AstraZeneca vector vaccines reported reactions more frequently compared to recipients of a Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine. Previous SARS-CoV-2 infection was independently associated with developing side effects.

Conclusions: We provide evidence of relatively mild and short-lived reactions reported by participants who have received approved COVID-19 vaccines.

Keywords: COVID-19; Reactogenicity; SARS-CoV-2; Vaccine safety.

Publication types

Observational Study

MeSH terms

Adult
COVID-19 Vaccines* / adverse effects
COVID-19* / prevention & control
Humans
Ontario / epidemiology
Prospective Studies
SARS-CoV-2

Substances

COVID-19 Vaccines