Comment on “Non-attendance is associated with work performance due to the side effects of COVID-19 vaccination”

Dear Editor,

We would like to share ideas on the publication “Non-attendance is associated with work performance due to the side effects of COVID-19 vaccination: a cross-sectional study in a Japanese manufacturing industry.”¹ This study examined the effects of fever, exhaustion, and workplace attendance on work performance after immunization by surveying 1273 workers who got the COVID-19 vaccine in a Japanese manufacturing district. The findings demonstrated a strong interaction between fever, exhaustion, and attendance on the day following immunization, with the nonattendance group outperforming the attendance group under some circumstances. Fever and attendance at work, however, were not connected to a decline in productivity following immunization. This implies that postvaccination work performance may be impacted by variables like weariness and attendance.

The use of employee self-reported data, which may bring bias or mistakes into the findings, is one of the study’s possible drawbacks. Furthermore, the study only looked at workers in one Japanese manufacturing neighborhood, which would limit how broadly the results can be applied to other groups or environments. Moreover, the research did not investigate other plausible variables that can influence the workers’ ability to perform at work after receiving a vaccination, like the kind of immunization obtained or any pre-existing medical issues. Subsequent research endeavors may reap advantages by incorporating a more heterogeneous participant pool and examining a wider array of factors that may impact job performance subsequent to immunization.

Whether the results hold true for various industries or geographical areas, and whether specific occupational or demographic traits may have an impact on the effect of fever, exhaustion, and attendance on job performance after immunization, are some of the questions raised by this study. Investigating the possible mechanisms that underlie the connections between these variables that have been discovered and how they affect work performance would also be intriguing. Further studies could look into treatments or methods to lessen the negative effects of vaccination-related symptoms on productivity at work, like offering employees supportive services or flexible work schedules.

Future directions for this research could include examining the long-term impact of COVID-19 vaccination on productivity at work and the general well-being of employees. It would also be beneficial to look into how organizational rules or procedures could be modified to help staff members manage possible side effects from vaccinations while preserving productivity. In the context of broad vaccination efforts, methods for increasing employee health and productivity could be informed by an understanding of the characteristics that contribute to optimal work performance after immunization. Overall, this study offers insightful information on the possible effects of fever, exhaustion, and workplace attendance on post-COVID-19 work performance; nevertheless, more investigation is required to completely comprehend the intricate interactions among these variables.

Author contributions

H.P.: 50% ideas, writing, analyzing, approval; V.W.: 50 % ideas, supervision, approval.