The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) Tuesday released pivotal findings from the 2023 COVID-19 Cohort Event Monitoring Study, affirming the safety of COVID-19 vaccines administered in Kenya.
Conducted in partnership with the National Vaccines and Immunization Program (NVIP) and CIHEB-Kenya, the study found that the vast majority of side effects reported were mild or moderate, with common symptoms such as headaches, injection site pain, fever, and dizziness typically resolving within 48 hours.
The study revealed that factors such as age, type of vaccine, and pre-existing health conditions could influence the likelihood of experiencing side effects.
However, the research reinforced that overall, the vaccines are safe for the general population.
Kenya’s participation in the African Union Smart Safety Surveillance (AU-3S) program, alongside countries like Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, and Ethiopia, further confirmed the findings.
No new safety signals were detected, aligning with global data that has consistently shown COVID-19 vaccines to be safe.
Speaking during the release of the report, Dr. Ahmed Mohammed, Director of Health Products and Technologies at PPB, underscored the importance of the study in ensuring public confidence in the vaccines.
“These findings are crucial in reaffirming the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Our collaboration with regional partners has helped us monitor vaccine safety effectively, and the data confirms that the vaccines continue to play a key role in protecting public health,” Dr Mohammed stated.
The PPB, NVIP, and CIHEB-Kenya’s study is part of Kenya’s ongoing efforts to strengthen vaccine safety monitoring in response to the global pandemic.
