Time course of adverse reactions following BNT162b2 vaccination in healthy and allergic disease individuals aged 5–11 years and comparison with individuals aged 12–15 years: an observational and historical cohort study

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the type and frequency of adverse events over 7 days following the first and second BNT162b2 vaccination. This observational and historical cohort study included patients aged 5–11 years who received two doses of BNT162b2 and provided consent along with their guardians. We collected data on sex, age, height, weight, blood type, history of Bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccination, allergic disease, medication, history of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and adverse reactions 7 days following the first and second BNT162b2 vaccination using a questionnaire. Our results were compared with previously reported results for individuals aged 12–15 years. A total of 421 participants were eligible for this study. Among the 216 patients with allergic disease, 48 (22.2%) had experienced worsening of their chronic diseases, and the frequency of fatigue and dizziness after the second dose was higher than that of healthy individuals. The experience of systemic adverse reactions was associated with asthma. The frequency of headache, diarrhea, fatigue, muscle/joint pain, and fever after the second BNT162b2 vaccination was lower in individuals aged 5–11 years than in those aged 12–15 years. Fever was the only systemic adverse reaction that lasted longer than 5 days (1.0% of participants).

Conclusions: Individuals with allergic diseases, who are potentially susceptible to COVID-19, may experience worsening of their chronic diseases and more frequent adverse reactions after BNT162b2 vaccination than healthy individuals. To ensure that children with allergic diseases receive the vaccine safely, further information needs to be collected.

What is Known: • Adverse reactions after BNT162b2 vaccination among individuals aged 5–11 years are generally nonserious, more common after second vaccination, and substantially less common compared to those observed among individuals aged 12–15 years.

What is New: • Individuals with allergic diseases experienced worsening of their chronic diseases and more frequent adverse reactions after BNT162b2 vaccination than healthy individuals. •  Systemic adverse reactions were associated with asthma. Fever was the only systemic adverse reaction that lasted longer than 5 days.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00431-022-04643-0.