Nearly six million Americans have received a dose of COVID-19 vaccine so far, with millions more eagerly awaiting the chance. However, as with any medication, the COVID vaccine also has potential side effects. In a January 7 interview, Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), warned of one side effect of COVID vaccine seen so far in a handful of individuals: severe allergic reactions.
Read on to discover how common these allergic reactions to the vaccine are, and what Fauci still says most people can expect after receiving the COVID vaccine. And for the latest news on the pandemic, The CDC Just Just This Grim Warning About the COVID Surge.
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Fauci said that severe reactions usually happen to one specific group of people.
During an interview on January 7 with members of the Internal Medicine Residency program at Washington University in St. Louis.
“There have been 21 cases of severe allergic reactions, bringing it to an incidence of about 1 in every million … almost always in people with a history of severe allergic reactions,” Fauci explained. “So yes, there’s an adverse event, but it’s easy to deal with.” And if you are worried that you are exposed, it is possible that this part of your body is hurting.
Side effects will usually be seen during a specific period of time.
While Fauci noted that most of the side effects associated with any vaccination, which can range from fever to pain at the injection site, occur between 24 and 72 hours after administration of the vaccine, he said that people almost certainly will know if they had an adverse reaction within six weeks.
“[If] you look at the so-called ‘long-term’ [effects occur]… the overwhelming majority, more than 90 percent, occur between 30 and 45 days after the dose, ‘he explained, adding:’ It will be extremely unusual if you see any unexpected long-term effects. ‘
Fauci said there are still uncertainties about what the vaccine could protect.
Although the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have been praised for their high efficacy rates, Fauci conceded that medical experts are still unsure whether they can spread asymptomatically.
In addition to questioning the effectiveness of the vaccine against asymptomatic infection, Fauci said: ‘It is possible that a vaccinated person can be protected against disease, but that he still has a recurrent virus in the pharyngeal nose. And for the latest COVID news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Being vaccinated does not mean that you can cast a mask.
While many people are eager to stop wearing masks in public, the day may still be months away. If people stopped wearing masks, socializing and practicing proper hand hygiene before herd immunity, which “would be vaccinated between 75 and 80 percent of the population,” it was determined, according to Fauci, the virus would continue to spread.
‘The one thing you do not want to do is protect yourself, but spread it to someone else. That’s a very good reason to wear a mask, ‘he said. And if you want to stay safe, then this is who it is best that will give you COVID, says new study.