Severe allergic reactions after COVID-19 vaccination are ‘exceedingly rare,’ CDC says
- by Joy Garcia
- in Medicine
- — Jan 10, 2021
China has administered more than 9 million anti-coronavirus vaccine doses as the country braces for a possible increase in infections during the winter.
Serious allergic reactions after COVID-19 vaccines are likely more common than serious reactions following flu vaccines, but are still very rare, according to a new report.
That compared with flu vaccines, in which such reactions occur at a rate of 1.3 per one million shots. Almost all of these patients were treated with epinephrine following their reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine, and all 21 recovered.
The researchers identified 21 cases of people who experienced anaphylaxis - a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction - shortly after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
"This averages out to a rate of 11.1 anaphylaxis cases per one million doses administered", senior CDC official Nancy Messonnier told reporters.
Almost 140 000 people in Hebei province have taken COVID-19 vaccine doses, said Cui Gang, a National Health Commission official, part of China's vaccination scheme targeting specific groups of high infection risk.
"We all hope a vaccine would have zero adverse events", Messonnier said.
The agency has since documented eight additional cases of anaphylaxis in 4.8 million people who received the vaccine between mid-December and Wednesday.
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Symptoms included rash, sensation of throat closure, swollen tongue, hives, difficulty breathing, hoarseness, swollen lips, nausea and persistent dry cough. There were eight allergic reactions to the Moderna vaccine.
The 21 cases ranged in age from 27 to 60 years old, with a median age of 40, and all but two were treated with epinephrine.
Most importantly, the CDC says anyone who has an immediate or allergic reaction to the first dose of Pfizer or Moderna's vaccine should not receive the second dose.
Although the CNBG vaccine's protection rate is lower than the more than 90 per cent efficacy of vaccines from Moderna Inc or Pfizer Inc and its partner BioNTech SE, it can be transported and stored at less demanding temperatures.
All COVID-19 vaccine recipients should be observed for at least 15 minutes after getting the shot.
CDC officials repeatedly emphasized that the known and potential benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the risk of serious consequences arising from COVID-19 disease.
"There are tremendous efforts underway right now to try to understand what might be the cause of this severe allergic reaction with both vaccines".
She was vaccinated alongside Usha Gandecha, the manager of the home, and all 70 residents.
