The study aimed to investigate the experience of the general public in the United Arab Emirates post-COVID-19 vaccines in order to find out the long-term side effects of COVID-19 vaccines. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a sample of vaccinated individuals in the United Arab Emirates. A total of 500 respondents completed the survey. Twenty participants (4.7%) expressed concerns about either registering or receiving the COVID-19 vaccination, mainly due to their uncertainty about vaccine safety. 58.8% of the participants who have received Pfizer vaccine have received Sinopharm, Pfizer, or both vaccines together. Of them, 78.6% had experienced vaccine-related side effects. The most common side effects are pain/swelling at the injection site, muscle pain, tiredness, fever, headache, shivering, feeling unwell, and joint pain. Similarly, only 5.4% reported health problems after vaccination while 94.6% did not have any after vaccination. In the same way, only 3.6% developed a new disease after the COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, 3% reported having contacts who experienced health problems/new diseases after vaccination. Overall, attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine were positive. Several differences in the incidence and number of vaccine-related adverse events experienced were due to age, sex, and vaccine type.
Manuscript profile
