Evaluation of the side effects of Sinopharm and PastoCovac COVID-19 vaccines in children aged 5-12 years in Iran

Background: Vaccination of children against COVID-19 in Iran was conducted for children 5-12 years on July 22, 2021, with PastoCovac and Sinopharm. This study aimed to evaluate the side effects following the administration of vaccines in children.Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 394 children aged 5-12 years who were referred to health centers in Bojnurd, Iran, and received PastoCoVac or Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines from March to July 2022. After receiving the first dose of the vaccine, in health centers, the children’s parents filled out sections of a COVID-19 vaccine questionnaire that included sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of children. After that, other sections of the questionnaire related to side effects following vaccination were filled out by parents of children at different time intervals after receiving the first or second dose of vaccines.Results: Our results showed that the incidence of vaccine side effects in children aged 5-12 years varies between 24%-37%, depending on the type and dose of vaccine. The most common side effects after getting the first and second doses of vaccines were injection site pain and swelling, fever, fatigue, and myalgia. No serious side effects were reported, and almost all side effects were resolved within a few days without special treatment.Conclusion: It can be concluded that the incidence of side effects following COVID-19 vaccination in children aged 5-12 years varies depending on the type and dose of the vaccine. However, no serious side effects were reported, and most were resolved within a few days without special treatment. These findings suggest that the vaccination of children against COVID-19 is generally safe and well-tolerated.