Adverse events and breakthrough infections associated with COVID-19 vaccination in the Indian population.

Vaccines against COVID-19 provide immunity to deter severe morbidities associated with the infection. However, it does not prevent infection altogether in all exposed individuals. Furthermore, emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 impose a threat concerning the competency of the vaccines in combating the infection. This study aims to determine the variability in adverse events and the extent of breakthrough infections in the Indian population. A retrospective study was conducted using a pre-validated questionnaire encompassing social, demographic, general health, the status of SARS-CoV-2 infection, vaccination, associated adverse events, and breakthrough infections in the Indian population. Informed consent and ethical approval were obtained as per Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines. Participants, who provided the complete information, were Indian citizens, above 18 years, and if vaccinated, administered with either Covishield or Covaxin, were considered for the study. Data have been compiled in Microsoft Excel and analyzed for statistical differences using STATA 11. The responses from 2051 individuals fulfilling the inclusion criteria were analyzed. Among 2051, 1119 respondents were vaccinated and 932 respondents were non-vaccinated. Among 1119 vaccinated respondents, 7 were excluded because of missing data. Therefore, out of 1112 vaccinated, 413 experienced adverse events with a major fraction of younger individuals, age 18-40 years, getting affected (74.82%; 309/413). Furthermore, considerably more females than males encountered adverse consequences to vaccination (p < 0.05). Among vaccinated participants, breakthrough infections were observed in 7.91% (88/1112; 57.96% males and 42.04% females) with the older age group, 61 years and above (odds ratio, 3.25 [1.32-8.03]; p = 0.011), and males were found to be at higher risk. Further research is needed to find the age and sex-related factors in determining vaccine effectiveness and adverse events.

Unveiling parental perspectives: COVID-19 vaccination for children in India.

Background: Irrespective of the availability of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine and its success rate in adults, administering vaccines to children remains a challenge for healthcare workers. Children's vaccine hesitancy among parents remains substantial and is exacerbated due to misleading information. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the hesitancy of parents and their concern about the vaccination and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in their children. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based and offline survey comprised of questions about the demographic of children, the status of COVID-19 infection, its severity, vaccination status, sources of information, willingness, concerns and attitude of parents to vaccinate their children against the COVID-19 virus, was conducted. Overall, 846 responses from parents fulfilling the inclusion criteria were analysed by GraphPad Prism 5. Results: Out of the 846 responses, 51.2% (n = 433) of children were vaccinated against COVID-19. Out of vaccinated children (51.2%), 60.3% (n = 261) had experienced adverse events. Around 21% (n = 98) of children had a history of exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Among the infected children, 14.3% were asymptomatic and 85.7% had symptoms. Approximately 8% of children had comorbidities, with chronic lung diseases and asthma being the most common. Among the 846 participating parents, 59.5% were mothers and the remaining 40.5% were fathers. A total of 2.7% and 22.2% of parents were found hesitant to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to their children aged 15-18 years and below 15 years, respectively. Among hesitant parents, mothers were found slightly more hesitant as compared to fathers. Also, 35.5% of parents were found hesitant about their own COVID-19 vaccination. Furthermore, the concern for COVID-19 vaccine unwillingness among parents is that a child has already achieved natural immunity after COVID-19 infections (76.8%) followed by vaccine safety and its side effects. The motivating factors to convince parents for their children's COVID-19 vaccination were if their doctors recommend it, followed by detailed information on vaccine side effects and efficacy in children. The most trusted source of information for the parents was found to be the healthcare workers. Conclusion: These results suggest that data and reviews regarding the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine readily available in the public domain could serve as a highly effective strategy for promoting and implementing widespread vaccination among children. By providing easily accessible and comprehensive information, public health authorities can address parental concerns, dispel misconceptions and foster a greater sense of trust in the vaccination process.

Magnitude and associated factors of menstrual irregularity among young girls: A cross-sectional study during COVID-19 second wave in India.

Background: Several symptoms are typically experienced after a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Worldwide, a lot of women are reporting irregularities in their menstrual cycles post-COVID-19 infection. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of menstrual pattern among young girls during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic and to determine the risk factors related to lifestyle among young girls. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-designed questionnaire encompassing details of the menstrual pattern, features of hyperandrogenism, lifestyle, and comorbidity among young girls aged 16-24 years. Results: The data from 508 girls fulfilling the inclusion criteria were analyzed. The prevalence of irregular menstrual cycle was found to be 29.1%. Further analysis revealed that a significant percentage of girls with irregular menstrual cycle suffer from depression (14.9%) and are often staying stressed (40.5%) in comparison to the girls having regular menstrual cycle. Also, a total of 58 girls out of 508 were diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Among various comorbid conditions, obesity was found in 60% of girls having PCOS followed by an eating disorder. Conclusions: A significant increase in irregular menstrual cycle in young girls was found during the second wave of COVID-19. The risk factors for causing the irregular menstrual cycle were found to be insomnia, stress, and depression.