An estimated 5.3 million Americans received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine as of Wednesday, according to a tracker from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. And while the vaccines are considered safe, reports show that many nursing home residents and health care workers – both of whom have the highest priority for vaccination – remain reluctant to be vaccinated.
Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, in a call to the media on Wednesday tried to allay concerns about one possible side effect: severe allergic reactions leading to anaphylaxis. Reports of anaphylaxis after a COVID-19 vaccine first appeared in the UK in early December, followed by several reports of severe allergic reactions in the US, among two health workers in Alaska.
But the response, according to the CDC, is “extremely rare” and treatable – which poses far fewer risks to Americans than COVID-19.
Messonnier told reporters that the CDC recorded 21 cases of anaphylaxis among the first 1.89 million Americans vaccinated (from December 14-23), which equates to a rate of 11 cases out of 1 million. In an article published Wednesday, the CDC expanded the information, revealing that 17 of the individuals had a “documented history of allergies or allergic reactions,” and seven of them had experienced anaphylaxis in the past. Follow-up information was available to 20 of the individuals, all of whom had “recovered or been discharged by the time of the report”.
Anaphylaxis, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a “potentially life-threatening allergic reaction” that causes symptoms such as a “rapid, weak pulse; a skin rash; narrowing of the air waves; nausea and vomiting.” The condition is an overreaction of the immune system that often occurs minutes after exposure to an allergen. It can be successfully treated with epinephrine, also known as an EpiPen. Medication, food, and insect stings are the three main causes of the condition, which 1.6 percent of Americans will experience in their lifetime.
“It’s still extremely rare,” Messonnier said. ‘Of course we would all hope that any vaccine would not have any adverse events, but even at 11 cases per million doses administered, it is a very safe vaccine. We are dealing with 2,000 COVID deaths a day, and if you make the comparison, I would say that it is still a good value for someone to be vaccinated. Their risk [of severe outcomes] of COVID-19 … is still more than their risk for a serious vaccine outcome. ”
Pfizer said in a statement to Yahoo Life that it “closely monitors” reports of severe allergic reactions to vaccinations and plans to update the labeling if necessary. “The prescription information has a clear warning / precaution that appropriate medical treatment and supervision should always be available in case of a rare anaphylactic event after the administration of the vaccine,” the spokesperson said. Moderna did not respond to a request for comment from Yahoo Life.
As of now, it is still unclear exactly what could cause the reactions, but the Food and Drug Administration’s director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research suggested in mid-December that it was related to a chemical called polyethylene glycol (PEG), which is present is in both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. The FDA has recommended that those who have had severe allergies to vaccines in the past should avoid both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
Yet Messonnier says the rare reactions are Americans who have a history of allergies should not be deterred from getting the vaccine. “Our recommendation is that people consult with their healthcare provider,” says Messonnier. ‘There is a big difference between someone who had a mild allergic reaction in their childhood, and someone who had a severe allergic reaction last week. And it’s going to be really important if a clinician is able to help a patient exercise judgment as opposed to having completely hard and fast rules. ”
For the latest coronavirus news and updates, follow along https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over the age of 60 and those with an immune system are at greatest risk. If you have any questions, please refer to the CDCse en WIE’s resource guides.
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