Vaccines against COVID-19 have resulted in two to three times more reports of side effects than other vaccines administered in recent years in Quebec.
“Vaccines against COVID-19 administered in Quebec seem to be more reactogenic than other vaccines in the Quebec immunization program or those against pandemic influenza A (H1N1),” write the authors of a report released Wednesday by the Institute. National Public Health Institute of Quebec (INSPQ).
The reporting rates of adverse clinical events (ACIs) were 66.9 cases per 100,000 doses compared to an average of 31.9 cases for the other vaccines administered between 2015 and 2019.
In total, more than 12,400 MCIs were reported between December 2020 and May 2022. The vast majority of them are minor, such as injection site reactions, migraines or diarrhea.
Unsurprisingly, AstraZeneca’s vaccine (ChAdOx1) caused the most cases of reactions with 204 per 100,000 doses, almost five times more than for Pfizer (Comirnaty). Among those vaccinated with AstraZeneca, nine suffered a rare complication, TTIV, of which one person died.
717 hospitalizations
Serious side effects, however, only account for 8% of all MCI reports. We also note that 717 people were hospitalized after receiving their vaccine.
There are also 63 deaths temporally associated with vaccination for which no other obvious cause could be established. The average age of those who died was 74 years old. Only 14 were under 60 years old.
The INSPQ says that we must be careful since many have died of stroke, myocardial infarction or sudden death.
“Consequently, the probability that these deaths are attributable to natural causes, rather than to vaccination, remains high,” states the report, one of the authors of which is Dr. Gaston De Serres.
Anaphylaxis
Another report looks at the number of cases of anaphylaxis, especially severe allergic reactions. A total of 239 cases were reported during the vaccination campaign.
The rate of anaphylaxis was seven times higher in women and more particularly in those aged 30 to 59 years.
“Vaccination against COVID-19 has been associated with a reported rate of anaphylaxis of approximately 13 cases per million doses, which is higher than the frequency generally expected,” the study concludes.
SIDE EFFECTS AFTER VACCINATION
- 12 494 reports of adverse clinical events (ACIs)
- 500 case of pericarditis or myocarditis (inflammation of the muscle or envelope of the heart)
- 400 menstrual cycle disturbances
- 300 visual or auditory disturbances
- 9 cases of vaccine-induced thrombotic immune thrombocytopenia (TTIV), including one death
- 239 allergic reactions
Sources: INSPQ reports