Minor to Moderate Side Effects of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Among Saudi Residents: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Figures & data

Figure 1 Flowchart for the COVID-19 vaccine questionnaire participants.

Table 1 The Study Participants’ Demographic Characteristics, COVID-19 Past Infection, Type of Vaccine, Number of Vaccine Doses, and the Onset of Side Effects

Characteristics	Frequency (n and %)
	All Participants (n= 455)
Nationality
Saudi	425 (93.4%)
Non-Saudi	30 (6.6%)
Sex
Male	163 (35.8%)
Female	292 (64.2%)
Age (year)
< 60	299 (65.7%)
≥ 60	156 (34.3%)
Education Level
Pre-university education	65 (14.3%)
University education	207 (45.5%)
Post-university education	183 (40.2%)
Previous Infection with SARS-CoV-2
Infected	19 (4.2%)
Not infected	436 (95.8%)
Type of COVID-19 Vaccine
Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine	455 (100%)
Inoculated Vaccine Dose
1st dose	203 (44.6%)
1st and 2nd dose	252 (55.4%)
Onset of Symptoms
After 1st vaccine dose	237 (52.0%)
After 2nd Vaccine dose	124 (27.3%)
After both 1st and 2nd dose	94 (20.7%)

Note: Results were offered as frequency (number (n) and percentage (%)).

Table 2 The Reported COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects and Their Correlation with the Vaccine’s First, Second, and Both Doses

	Frequency (n and %)
	1st Dose (n = 237)	2nd Dose (n = 124)	1st & 2nd Doses (n=94)	Chi-Square p value
Presence of Symptoms
Presence	202 (85.2%)	122 (98.4%)	68 (72.3%)	< 0.0001***
Absence	35 (14.8%)	2 (1.6%)	26 (27.7%)
Local Symptoms	167 (70.5%)	100 (80.6%)	60 (63.8%)	0.0139*
Arm pain	4 (1.7%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0.1563
Injection site pain	161 (67.9%)	100 (80.6%)	60 (63.8%)	0.0116*
Injection site swelling and redness	2 (0.8%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0.3907
Hypersensitivity Symptoms	19 (8.0%)	18 (14.5%)	3 (3.2%)	0.0099**
A fast heartbeat	7 (3.0%)	11 (8.9%)	3 (3.2%)	0.0299*
Difficulty breathing	9 (3.8%)	5 (4.0%)	0 (0%)	0.1514
Bad rash all over the body	0 (0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0%)	0.2625
Severe body allergy	1 (0.4%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0.6307
Burning sensation in the eye	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0%)	0.6743
Bone and Muscle Symptoms	9 (3.8%)	22 (17.7%)	7 (7.4%)	< 0.0001***
Whole body pain	2 (0.8%)	8 (6.5%)	5 (5.3%)	0.0084**
Muscle pain	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.8%)	1 (1.1%)	0.9764
Muscle relaxation	0 (0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0%)	0.2625
Bone pain	3 (1.3%)	2 (1.6%)	0 (0%)	0.4949
Joint pain	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.0%)	1 (1.1%)	0.0060**
Back pain	2 (0.8%)	3 (2.4%)	0 (0%)	0.2044
Total Flu-Like Symptoms	77 (32.5%)	112 (90.3%)	29 (30.9%)	< 0.0001***
Flu symptoms	26 (11.0%)	36 (29.0%)	7 (7.4%)	< 0.0001***
Headache	43 (18.1%)	48 (38.7%)	17 (18.1%)	< 0.0001***
Fever	3 (1.3%)	23 (18.5%)	4 (4.3%)	< 0.0001***
Chills	2 (0.8%)	5 (4.0%)	1 (1.1%)	0.0772
Sore throat	2 (0.8%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0.3907
Chest infection	1 (0.4%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0.6307
Fatigue Symptoms	20 (8.4%)	25 (20.1%)	3 (3.2%)	< 0.0001***
Tiredness	15 (6.3%)	19 (15.3%)	3 (3.2%)	0.2171
Dizziness and giddiness	4 (1.7%)	2 (1.6%)	0 (0%)	0.4523
Desire to sleep	1 (0.4%)	4 (3.2%)	0 (0%)	0.0273*
GIT Symptoms	14 (5.9%)	2 (1.6%)	1 (1.1%)	0.0383*
Nausea and vomiting	4 (1.7%)	1 (0.8%)	1 (1.1%)	0.7615
Gastroesophagitis	2 (0.8%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0.3907
Diarrhea	7 (3.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0%)	0.1169
Loss of appetite	1 (0.4%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0.6307
Nerve Inflammation Symptoms	4 (1.7%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0.1563
Bell’s palsy	3 (1.3%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0.2493
Tingling	1 (0.4%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0.6307
Miscellaneous Symptoms	1 (0.4%)	4 (3.2%)	0 (0%)	0.0273*
Lymph nodes tenderness and swelling	0 (0%)	2 (1.6%)	0 (0%)	0.0685
Elevated blood pressure	0 (0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0%)	0.2625
Blurred vision	0 (0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0%)	0.2625
Burning sensation when urinating	1 (0.4%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0.6307

Notes: Results were offered as frequency (number (n) and percent (%)). Correlation between variables was evaluated using the Chi-square test. *Significant difference at p ≤ 0.05, **significant difference at p ≤ 0.01, and ***significant difference at p ≤ 0.001.

Figure 2 The percentage absence (no symptoms) and presence (yes symptoms) of COVID-19 side effects reported by the study participants following the vaccine’s first, second, and both doses. Results were offered as frequency (percentage (%)).

Figure 3 The reported COVID-19 vaccine side effects after the vaccine’s first, second, and both doses. Results were offered as frequency (percent (%)).

Table 3 The Reported COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects and Their Correlation with the Participants Ages

	Frequency (n and %)
	Age < 60 (Year)	Age ≥ 60 (Year)	Chi-Square
	(n=299)	(n=156)	p value
Absence of Symptoms	39 (13%)	24 (15.4%)	0.5675
Local Symptoms	209 (69.9%)	128 (82%)	0.0049**
Arm pain	3 (1.0%)	1 (0.6%)	1.0000
Injection site pain	205 (68.6)	126 (80.8%)	0.0056**
Injection site swelling and redness	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.6%)	1.0000
Hypersensitivity Symptoms	31 (10.4%)	9 (5.8%)	0.1174
A fast heartbeat	17 (5.7%)	4 (2.7%)	0.1614
Difficulty breathing	10 (3.3%)	4 (2.7%)	0.7798
Bad rash all over the body	1 (0.3%)	0 (0%)	1.0000
Severe body allergy	1 (0.3%)	0 (0%)	1.0000
Burning sensation in the eye	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.6%)	1.0000
Bone and Muscle Symptoms	27 (9.0%)	10 (6.4%)	0.3714
Whole body pain	10 (3.3%)	5 (3.2%)	1.0000
Muscle pain	3 (1.0%)	2 (1.3%)	1.0000
Muscle relaxation	1 (0.3%)	0 (0%)	1.0000
Bone pain	5 (1.7%)	0 (0%)	0.1703
Joint pain	4 (1.3%)	2 (1.3%)	1.0000
Back pain	4 (1.3%)	1 (0.6%)	0.6646
Flu Like Symptoms	168 (56.2%)	49 (31.4%)	< 0.0001***
Flu symptoms	59 (19.7%)	10 (6.4%)	< 0.0001***
Headache	79 (26.4%)	29 (18.6%)	0.0644
Fever	23 (7.7%)	7 (4.5%)	0.2346
Chills	7 (2.3%)	1 (0.6%)	0.2736
Sore throat	0 (0%)	2 (1.3%)	0.1171
Chest infection	0 (0%)	1 (0.6)	0.3443
Fatigue Symptoms	35 (11.7%)	11 (7.1%)	0.1409
Tiredness	25 (8.4%)	10 (6.4%)	0.5789
Dizziness and giddiness	6 (2.0%)	0 (0%)	0.0988
Desire to sleep	4 (1.3%)	1 (0.6%)	0.6646
GIT Symptoms	12 (4.0%)	4 (2.6%)	0.5937
Nausea and vomiting	4 (1.3%)	1 (0.6%)	0.6646
Gastroesophagitis	0 (0%)	2 (1.3%)	0.1171
Diarrhea	7 (2.3%)	1 (0.6%)	0.2736
Loss of appetite	1 (0.3%)	0 (0%)	1.0000
Nerve Inflammation Symptoms	3 (1.0%)	1 (0.6%)	1.0000
Bell’s palsy	3 (1.0%)	0 (0%)	0.5544
Tingling	0 (0%)	1 (0.6%)	0.3443
Miscellaneous Symptoms	4 (1.3%)	1 (0.6%)	0.6646
Lymph nodes tenderness and swelling	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.6%)	0.5484
Elevated blood pressure	1 (0.3%)	0 (0%)	1.0000
Blurred vision	1 (0.3%)	0 (0%)	1.0000
Burning sensation when urinating	0 (0%)	1 (0.6%)	0.3443

Notes: Results were offered as frequency (number (n) and percent (%)). Correlation between variables was evaluated using the Chi-square test. **Significant difference at p ≤ 0.01, and ***significant difference at p ≤ 0.001.

Figure 4 The reported COVID-19 vaccine side effects distribution according to the participants’ ages. Results were offered as frequency (percent (%)).

Figure 5 The correlation between presence and absence of COVID-19 vaccine side effects and the participant’s sex. Results were offered as frequency (percent (%)). Correlation between variables was evaluated using the Chi-square test. ***Significant difference at p ≤ 0.001.

Figure 6 The reported COVID-19 vaccine side effects distribution in participants previously infected with coronavirus versus non-previously infected participants. Results were offered as frequency (percent (%)). Correlation between variables was evaluated using the Chi-square test. ***Significant difference at p ≤ 0.001.