04.01.2021

 

Vaccine usage alert for Covid-19: A guide to safely get the coronavirus vaccine shot

 

Following accounts of potential allergies to the COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, scientists have outlined steps on safely receiving the second dose of the therapeutic in individuals who develop a reaction to their first dose.Also Read - COVID-19 Vaccine Covishield gets final approval, ready for rollout in coming weeks

With the vaccine being administered in many corners of the world, questions abound about who can safely get them.Also Read - After 'Covishield', expert panel approves Bharat Biotech's 'Covaxin' for emergency use

 

Expect answers to those questions to evolve as the vaccines go into broader use. But here’s what is known so far, and what experts at or advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend regarding their use at this point.Also Read - WHO Report: Four types of COVID-19 variants are circulating the globe

Can People With Allergies Get The Covid-19 Vaccination Shot?

Reports that two nurses in Britain developed anaphylaxis after being immunized with the Pfizer vaccine earlier last month, triggered concerns about whether people with allergies should be vaccinated. Both women had serious allergies and carried EpiPens.

In the study, a team of experts led by allergists at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the US, proposed detailed advice so that individuals with different allergy histories can safely receive their COVID-19 vaccine.

After a closer review of the data related to allergic reactions, the US FDA recommended that the mRNA vaccines, based on the genetic material of the novel coronavirus, be withheld only from individuals with a history of severe allergic reactions to any component of the COVID-19 vaccine.

 

 

However, it is cleared for usage by people who have allergies to foods, animals, insects, latex, and other common allergies.

Can Pregnant Women Get Covid-19 Vaccine Shot?

The Covid vaccine developed by Pfizer and its partner, BioNTech, hasn’t yet been tested in pregnant people — in fact, none of the vaccines in development have been. Drug and vaccine makers are always reluctant to include pregnant people in clinical initial trials for fear of injuring a developing fetus or threatening a pregnancy.

Can People With HIV Get Covid-19 Vaccination Shot?

Pfizer enrolled some HIV-positive volunteers with stable infections in its Phase 2/3 clinical trial, but there are not enough data to date to do an analysis of this population.

The CDC said people with HIV can be vaccinated but should be counseled that the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in immunocompromised people are still unclear and they should continue to take other measures to protect themselves against infection.

The Mandatory Post Vaccination Observation

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also advised that all patients be observed for 15 minutes post-vaccination by staff who can identify and manage such reactions.

In the review research, Aleena Banerji, MD, clinical director of the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Unit at MGH, and her colleagues outlined steps on safely receiving the second dose in individuals who develop a reaction to the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

According to experts, allergic reactions to vaccines are rare, with a rate of about 1.3 per 1 million people.

Pfizer-BioNTech And Moderna To Have Low Rate Of Allergic Reactions

They said the mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna will have a similarly low rate of occurrence of allergic reactions.

The researchers recommend that individuals with a history of anaphylaxis to an injectable drug, or vaccines containing polyethylene glycol or polysorbate speak with their allergists before being vaccinated.

The researchers also suggested that vaccine clinics monitor all patients for 15 to 30 minutes to manage any allergic reactions that occur.

They said even patients with severe allergies to foods, oral drugs, latex, or venom can safely receive the COVID-19 vaccines.

 

Source:

 

https://www.thehealthsite.com/

 

04.01.2021