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Background: Despite the established effectiveness of the BNT162b2 Vaccine, the novel technology demands careful safety monitoring. While global studies have explored its safety, local data remains limited and exhibits some variability. This study investigated short-term side effects among BNT162b2 vaccinated individuals in Qatar., Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using data extracted from the electronic health records of individuals aged 18 or older across 8 primary health centers who received either the first or second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine during the period from December 23, 2020, to April 24, 2021. The proportions of individuals experiencing short-term side effects after each dose were calculated. Logistic regression and log binomial regression analyses were used to explore associations with the side effects., Results: Among 7,764 participants, 5,489 received the first dose and 2,275 the second, with similar demographics between the groups. After the first dose, 5.5% reported at least one local side effect, compared to 3.9% after the second, with a 1.4 times higher incidence after the first dose (RR 1.4, 95% CI 1.14-1.75) compared to the second. Systemic side effects after the second dose were 2.6 times more common than after the first (RR 2.6, 95% CI 2.15-3.14). Gender, nationality, history of prior COVID-19 infection, and obesity were significantly associated with side effects after the first dose, while age, gender, and nationality, were significant factors after the second dose., Conclusion: The rates of side effects following the BNT162b2 vaccine in Qatar were relatively low, with age, gender, nationality, previous infection, and obesity identified as significant predictors. These results emphasize the need for tailored vaccination strategies and contributes valuable insights for evidence-based decision-making in ongoing and future vaccination campaigns., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Abdeen, Abed Alah, Al-Zaidan, Mohamed Ibrahim, Abdulmajeed, Al-Nuaimi and Al-Kuwari.)

Manal Al-Zaidan,1 Mohamed Izham Mohamed Ibrahim,2 Mohamed Ghaith Al-Kuwari,3 Azza Mustafa Mohammed,3 Mansoor Nawaz Mohammed,4 Samya Al Abdulla5 1Pharmacy Department, Primary Health Care Corporation, Doha, Qatar; 2College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; 3Directorate of Strategy Planning and Health Intelligence, Primary Health Care Corporation, Doha, Qatar; 4Clinical Information Systems Department, Primary Health Care Corporation, Doha, Qatar; 5Directorate of Operations, Primary Health Care Corporation, Doha, QatarCorrespondence: Manal Al-ZaidanDirector of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 26555, Doha, QatarTel + 974 40271103Email malzaidan@phcc.gov.qaAbstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has strained health care systems around the world. Pharmacists have made substantial contributions to the health care operations during the COVID-19 response. The Pharmacy Department at Qatar Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) acted proactively to ensure that all patients received their medications and their refilled prescriptions in time and without any disruption. The Medication Home Delivery Service was introduced and implemented for all Qatar residents to prevent unnecessary visits to health centers, minimize the spread of COVID-19 to vulnerable populations, especially those with multiple comorbidities, and protect health care workers from exposure to the virus. Moreover, several other precautionary measures were taken by the PHCC to ensure uninterrupted access to health care, including moving to a virtual health care delivery model. As of September 2020, the service had served around 64,213 patients since its launch in March 2020. In total, 70,357 medications were delivered and 69,092 (98.2%) medication packages were delivered successfully to patients, with an average of 450.8 medication packages delivered per month. Despite various challenges, the PHCC is considering continuing the Medication Home Delivery Service in the long term to continue with a more effective and efficient service for patients during the coming months and years.Keywords: COVID-19, pandemic, pharmacy service, medication home delivery, PHCC, Qatar