2025/03/10 by Eman Hamdy, Eman Hamdy Darweesh, Abdallah Dabbas +1 · 1 voice
Medicine · Social Sciences · #Multiple Sclerosis Research Studies #SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research #Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy
paper · pdf · doi:10.7224/1537-2073.2024-057
openalex publication_date 2025/03/10 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/26
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Until the World Health Organization declared an end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency worldwide in 2023, people with multiple sclerosis (MS) were hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine. This study aimed to assess the final vaccination status, attitude, and adverse events related to the COVID-19 vaccine among people with MS in Egypt. METHODS: A self-administered survey was offered to people with MS who came to the Alexandria University MS Clinic in Egypt between June 2023 and November 2023. RESULTS: Of 150 surveys completed, 77% of participants were women. Their median age was 35.5 years (range, 19-59 years); their median disease duration was 4 years. Only 81 (54%) participants received a COVID-19 vaccine. Of that 81, 81.5% received 2 doses. The median fear of COVID-19 score (FCV-19S) was 11, and 15.3% had high levels of fear. Worrying about the worsening effect of the vaccine on MS (69.3%) and about the long-term adverse events (AEs) of the vaccines (63.3%) were the most common causes of fear. The only factor that was significantly related to receiving the vaccine was the FCV-19S score (P = .049). Among those who received the vaccine, fatigue was the most common AE reported in 48%; 5% had a neurological relapse. No other serious AEs occurred. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, almost half of study participants with MS did not receive a COVID-19 vaccination, mainly due to fear. AEs attributed to the vaccine were mild. Implementing educational programs during future pandemics will be necessary to improve the vaccination rates of people with MS.