How to tell if you are allergic to the COVID-19 vaccine

So far, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emergency use authorization has been issued for two vaccines. they are:

• Pfizer-BioNTech. this vaccine Recommended for people over 16 years of age and 95% effective in preventing illness.
• Modern NIAID. this vaccine Recommended for people over 18 years old, with a 94.1% effect.

Joan Kapusnik-Uner, PharmD, Vice President of Clinical Content First Databank (FDB)Having published and maintained a database of medicines and medical devices for healthcare professionals, he said it is important to be aware that there may be minor side effects from a benign vaccine.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is given to provoke the immune system and can cause systemic symptoms for several days,” she said. Production, and B-cell and T-cell response. “

Kapusnik-Uner emphasized that true allergic reactions are rare and can include rashes and itching.

by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) has 10 cases Anaphylaxis (Severe allergic reaction) After the initial dose of Moderna vaccine slightly exceeded 4 million. In nine of them, onset occurs within 15 minutes of vaccination and no anaphylaxis-related deaths have been reported.

“recently Research At JAMA [The Journal of the American Medical Association], The incidence of anaphylaxis or severe allergic reactions after Pfizer vaccination is rare, affecting only 11 per million people. ” Dr. Robert Glatter, An emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. “Most of these reactions occurred within 15 minutes.”

Symptoms of this severe reaction are:

• Urticaria
• rash
• Swelling of lips and tongue
• Swelling of the throat

“I rarely have allergies to vaccines,” he said. Teresa Capriotti, DO, MSN, RN, Professor of Clinical Nursing Villanova University M Louise Fitzpatrick School of Nursing.. “The most serious type of allergic reaction is anaphylaxis.”

However, this allergic reaction is easy to treat.

“Patients usually have to sit for 15 minutes after an injection. Individuals should not be afraid of allergic reactions because there are cures for them,” Capriotti said. “They will be given epinephrine and benadryl injections. Prednisone can be given if needed.”

According to Capriotti, people at greatest risk of reaction are those who are allergic to the components of the vaccine. She also said that the vaccinated healthcare provider would ask you a series of questions before giving you a shot.

Dr. Stephen Key, PhD, CEO Atossa TherapeuticsA clinical biopharmacy company developing treatments for breast cancer and COVID-19 states that it is all language-related and that all adverse events should not occur and have some medical impact. I did.

“Allergic reactions are one of the side effects, so they are a type of side effect that falls under many types of side effects,” he said.

According to Key, an allergic reaction is a reaction of the body histamine..

“So what does histamine do? Histamine can cause hives (small spots that cause itchy skin), contract the throat, contract the bronchi of the lungs, and make breathing difficult.” He said.

However, with currently available vaccines, this reaction is still rare.

Quay advised to ask a doctor or nurse before receiving the first COVID-19 vaccination: EpipenWhere can I find your epinephrine kit? ”

Because if you start reacting, “things happen very fast, minutes have passed, and it can be very, very serious. In another room running around to find EpiPen. I don’t want to put them down, “he said.

Quay emphasized that serious reactions are still very rare.

“Most vaccines occur in one millionth,” says Quay. “So far, the two mRNA vaccines are about 10 times more. That is, 1 in 100,000. But so far, they have been treated and no one has died. You I don’t want it, but it’s being treated. “

“The risks inherent in mRNA vaccines are related to polyethylene glycol (PEG), which is part of the lipopolysaccharide coating used to encapsulate the mRNA particles,” said Glatter. “This also applies to polysorbates, which are not included in the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine but are closely related to PEG.”

Mr. Glatter said that if you know that you are allergic to the ingredients of the vaccine, you should consult an allergist before receiving the injection.

“In addition, if you have already responded to the first dose of the vaccine, it is advisable to visit an allergist before considering a second dose,” he said.

According to Glatter, people at high risk of an allergic reaction include those who have previously experienced anaphylaxis.

• Drug
• Medical products
• Food
• Insect bites

With millions of people already vaccinated with the new COVID-19 vaccine, people are worried about experiencing an allergic reaction, especially a reaction called anaphylaxis.

According to experts, the ratio of allergic reactions to vaccine doses is very rare, but if it does occur, it is easy to treat.

Experts ask the vaccine administrator if there are ready-to-use treatment options (such as EpiPens) and recommend sitting for 15 minutes after receiving the injection in case of an allergic reaction. ..