An overview of rare adverse reactions following immunization in China, 2020

As authorized by the National Health Commission and the National Medical Products Administration, this overview of rare adverse reactions following immunization in China in 2020 is hereby released.

 

In 2020 (from 0:00 on January 1 to 24:00 on December 31, 2020), 553 million doses of vaccines were reported to have been administered across the Chinese mainland. A total of 13,342 rare adverse reactions following immunization were also reported, a reported incidence rate of 2.41/100,000 doses.

 

The figure is within the expected incidence rate of rare adverse reactions issued by the World Health Organization.

 

Among the 13,342 rare adverse reactions, there were 11,033 reported cases of an allergic rash, 322 of angioedema and 275 of BCG lymphadenitis. 

 

Vaccines with a high number of rare adverse reaction reports include the ones for measles, mumps and rubella combined attenuated live vaccines (3,550 cases), the diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis combined vaccines (1,161 cases) and the measles and rubella combined attenuated live vaccines (1,150 cases).

 

The main reactions to the measles, mumps and rubella combined attenuated live vaccine were allergic rash (3,345 cases), thrombocytopenic purpura (43 cases) and febrile convulsion (28 cases).

 

The main reactions to the diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis combined vaccine included allergic rash (925 cases), angioedema (88 cases) and sterile abscess (26 cases).

 

The main reactions to the measles and rubella combined attenuated live vaccine were allergic rash (1,106 cases), thrombocytopenic purpura (10 cases) and febrile convulsion (3 cases).

 

The above data include rare adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine in 2020.