Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccines – a review of adverse effects and safety profiles

Since the emergence of SARS CoV-2 in 2019, the global population has had to implement major lifestyle changes in order to circumvent death and severe morbidity caused in the wake of the virus, as well as endure the consequences on the economy and social wellbeing. However, restrictions posed by the pandemic have not deterred scientists from engineering a solution to this in the form of vaccines against SARS CoV-2. Although their efficacy has been proven, recent reports have claimed that these vaccines may not be as safe as they are promoted to be, and that they may cause adverse effects that outweigh their benefits. This article offers an objective perspective of the unfavourable side effects of five widely used vaccine candidates for SARS CoV-2, BNT162b2, mRNA 1273, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, Sputnik V and BBIBP CorV, to highlight that the panic associated with vaccination is unjustified in light of recent developments.