Post COVID-19 vaccination side effects and associated factors among vaccinated clients in East Africa region: A systematic review and meta-analysis

By the end of December 2023, COVID-19 had infected 701,748,397 people worldwide, killing 6,968,845 of them. A total of 1,734,021 cases and 30,162 deaths were reported in the countries of East Africa, with the highest number of cases (501,117) coming from Ethiopia and the lowest number from Eritrea (10,189). Globally, the epidemic has resulted in an astounding death toll and presents an unmatched danger to public health, the workplace, and food systems. Although most people agree that vaccination has had the biggest positive impact on global health in reduction of COVID 19, safe and effective vaccines were desperately needed to protect vulnerable populations.

Research released in English between January 1, 2021, and January 14, 2024 was thoroughly searched through PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, and other pertinent sources. Data extraction and quality assessment were conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses. STATA 17MP was used for the data analysis. The I² test statistic and Egger's test of significance were used to evaluate heterogeneity and publication bias. The odds ratio (OR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) were displayed using forest plots. This review and meta-analysis comprised a total of 23 articles, or a total sample size of 170,853. The pooled prevalence of post-COVID-19 vaccination side effects showed that 55 % (95 %CI 40–69 %) of population in East African nations experienced at least one side effect after receiving vaccination. The pooled odds ratio showed that a significant association was found between post-COVID-19 vaccination and gender (OR = 1.70; 95 %CI: 1.26–2.14), safety concern (OR: 2.79; 95 % CI: 0.51, 5.0), age (OR = 0.97; 95 %CI: 0.95–0.98), comorbidity (OR = 2.72; 95 %CI: 1.08–4.35). This review highlighted a significant number of adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccinations. It is crucial to begin educating the public about these vaccines to enhance their understanding that the pandemic can be managed and that side effects are rare, temporary, and reversible.