A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report states that during August 12–September 19, 2021, among 12,591 v-safe registrants who completed a health check-in survey after all 3 doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, 79.4% and 74.1% reported local or systemic reactions, respectively, after the third dose; 77.6% and 76.5% reported local or systemic reactions after the second dose, respectively. V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to give personalized health check-ins after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
As of September 19, 2021, approximately 2.21 million persons in the United States had received additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines after completion of a primary series. During August 12–September 19, 2021, no unexpected patterns of adverse reactions were observed among 22,191 v-safe registrants who received an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Most reported local and systemic reactions were mild to moderate, transient, and most frequently reported the day after vaccination. Most registrants who received an additional dose reported a primary mRNA vaccination series followed by a third dose from the same manufacturer.
The Pfizer-BioNTech clinical trial, which included 306 persons aged 18–55 years, showed that reactions after dose 3 were comparable to those reported after dose 2. However, this analysis of v-safe data found the local reactions were slightly more common and systemic reactions less common after dose 3 of Pfizer-BioNTech. The patterns of adverse reactions observed after dose 3 of Moderna vaccine or Pfizer-BioNTech were consistent with previously described reactions after receipt of dose 2.
Data on the safety or effectiveness of vaccination with COVID-19 vaccine products from different manufacturers are limited; the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that persons with moderately to severely immunocompromising conditions receive a third dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine from the same manufacturer as their primary series. CDC recommendations for an additional dose do not currently include persons who received Janssen vaccine.
Recent reports of infections in vaccinated persons and increases in the prevalence of infection with the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant of SARS-CoV-2 among vaccinated persons might have prompted some persons to seek an additional dose outside of recommendations. The median interval from completion of the primary series to receipt of an additional dose was approximately 6 months; therefore, persons prioritized during the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, including healthcare workers and older adults, might have received an additional dose.
An additional dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for persons with moderately to severely immunocompromising conditions. CDC recommended an additional dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine ≥6 months after completion of the primary vaccine series among persons aged ≥65 years, residents in long-term care settings, and persons aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions; persons aged 18-49 years with underlying medical conditions and persons aged 18–64 years at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive an additional dose based on their individual benefits and risks.
Initial analyses of safety data from >22,000 v-safe registrants shows that local reactions are slightly increased and systemic reactions are slightly decreased after dose 3 of an mRNA than after dose 2. No unexpected patterns of adverse reactions were identified; those reported were mild to moderate and transient. CDC will continue to monitor the safety of additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Additional data on adverse reactions associated with different combinations of vaccines and of time since completion of primary series will be important to guide public health recommendations.
