NEARLY two and a half years after the introduction of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccines in the Philippines, less than 0.1 percent of adverse effects following immunization (AEFIs) have been recorded nationwide.
Based on the latest data from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there are a total of 113,002 AEFIs reported out of the 181,645,251 doses administered from March 1, 2021 to July 31, 2023.
"As of 31 July 2023, more than 181.6 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines were administered," said the FDA.
"A total of 113,002 suspected adverse reaction reports were received, evaluated and analyzed by the FDA," it added
This meant that the AEFIs rate was at 0.06 percent out of all the doses administered.
Out of the total reported AEFIs, the FDA classified 102,275 as non-serious, including symptoms such as body pain, chills, fatigue, fever, headache, nausea, and pain at the injection site.
On the other hand, 10,727 AEFIs were categorized as serious, including severe allergic reactions, increased blood pressure, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, inflammation of the heart, and significant disability/incapacity.
Among the vaccines used in the country, AstraZeneca had the highest number of AEFIs at 37,894 (out of 23,931,246 doses), followed closely by Sinovac with 37,305 (out of 48,734,507).
Pfizer recorded 23,766 AEFIs (out of 77,024,785 doses), Moderna had 7,011 (out of 21,605,790), and Jannsen had 5,661 (out of 7,654,344).
Also registering hundreds of AEFIs are Sputnik V with 922 (out of 1,584,507) and Sinopharm with 443 (out of 1,110,072). (HDT/SunStar Philippines)