COVID-19 is more likely to cause very rare neurological events than vaccines, according to a new study involving experts from the University of Nottingham.
The findings of the study, led by the University of Oxford, are published today in Nature Medicine.
Researchers from across the UK reported on the risks of developing neurological complications following a positive COVID-19 PCR test, or a first dose of either the Oxford-AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccinations.
Several COVID-19 vaccines, including the Oxford–AstraZeneca and Pfizer–BioNTech vaccines, are approved for use in many countries and have been shown to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infections, transmissions, hospitalizations and deaths. However, there have been reports of rare neurological complications associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccines. In the study, the researchers detail the findings from an analysis of anonymized healthcare records of over 32 million people across England. They assessed the risk of developing neurological complications within 28 days of a first dose of either the Oxford-AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1nCoV-19) or Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2)vaccines, or within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 PCR test. They found an increased, but low, risk of the rare neurological conditions Guillain-Barré syndrome and Bell's palsy following a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and an increased but low risk of hemorrhagic stroke following a first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. However infection with COVID-19 was associated with a a greater risk of developing neurological complications than receiving either vaccine.
"This analysis provides important information about which neurological conditions could be linked with Covid-19 vaccination or infection. Overall, the findings from this study show that the risks of hospital admission with nervous system complications associated with COVID-19 infection are greater than the risks associated with COVID-19 vaccinations; highlighting the benefits of the on-going vaccination programs," said Professor Carol Coupland from the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham, whoi was one of the researchers involved in the study.