Index Entries

Marios Politis, Georgios Rachiotis, Varvara A. Mouchtouri, and Christos Hadjichristodoulou
October 19, 2024
Vaccines
University of Thessaly (Greece)

"Abstract

Background: A rise in absenteeism among healthcare workers (HCWs) was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, mostly attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, evidence suggests that COVID-19 vaccine-related side effects may have also contributed to absenteeism during this period. This study aimed to synthesize the evidence on the prevalence of absenteeism related to COVID-19 vaccine side effects among HCWs...

Results ...

3.3. Prevalence of at Least One Day of Absenteeism Related to COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects Among HCWs

A total of 17% (14,163/157,981; 95% CI: 13–20%) of the vaccination events led to at least one day of absenteeism related to COVID-19 vaccine side effects among HCWs...

3.6. Other Factors Associated with at Least One Day of Absenteeism Related to COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects Among HCWs

... Two studies reported data on the prevalence of absenteeism after the third COVID-19 vaccination, with rates of 8% and 27.9%...

Discussion

After a systematic literature review, we synthesized the latest evidence from 19 observational studies. We reported that 17% of the total vaccination events led to at least one day of absenteeism related to COVID-19 vaccine side effects among HCWs. We reported that female sex (compared to male), the mRNA-1273 vaccine (compared to the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine), and the second vaccination (compared to the first) were positively associated with at least one day of absenteeism related to COVID-19 vaccine side effects among HCWs. We also reported that the prevalence of absenteeism related to COVID-19 vaccine side effects differed between regions among HCWs (Europe, Asia, and the USA). A younger age, heterologous vaccine combinations, and being a physician or being directly involved in patient care were also identified as factors positively associated with reporting at least one day of absenteeism related to COVID-19 vaccine side effects among HCWs...

Our findings contribute to the existing literature by proposing that absenteeism related to COVID-19 vaccine side effects may have been an important component of the increased all-cause absenteeism during the pandemic.

Although the evidence on the relationship between absenteeism related to vaccine side effects among HCWs for vaccines other than COVID-19 is limited, absenteeism related to influenza vaccine side effects appears to be lower compared to that of the COVID-19 vaccine.¨

document
adverse events,COVID-19,mRNA,vaccines