Will I turn red, break out in hives, and stop breathing? Many ask if the COVID vaccine will trigger an allergic reaction. They are considering whether or not to step in line for the vaccine in the coming weeks but have concerns about news reports of anaphylaxis or other allergic reactions in those receiving the vaccine.
These researchers from todays’ article would argue that the vaccine is safe as only 1.3 per million vaccine recipients developed an allergic reaction. They report that this rate companies similarly with prior vaccine reaction rates. I agree that 1 in a million are decent odds and far more recipients do not react allergically.
My concern regards whether the COVID vaccine is really 1 in a million chance- it may be higher and therefore be more risky than is being reported. On one hand, I know that bad news gets more attention in the media and maybe we are just hearing of the bad news without counterbalancing good news. On the other hand, I doubt whether we can trust the experts any more to tell us the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Like many of you, I don’t place a lot of confidence in the opinions of experts who have demonstrated their bias over and over.
Having secondhand knowledge of 2 allergic reactions at a local hospital which included a cardiac arrest after the vaccine, I am still choosing to wait a bit to see what happens. In the meantime, I would recommend those considering the vaccine to at least review the vaccine ingredient list and be sure that they don’t have an allergy to any of them. The CDC has a website for allergy information. I would also advise those who have a reaction to the first dose of vaccine to pass on a second dose.
I tried to pull out information from VAERS, the governmental organization responsible for track vaccine reactions, but their system is cumbersome to operate. I will have to try again later. The link can be found at the end for those interested.
In the meantime, in trying to help my patient live healthier more abundant lives, I educate them on the risks and benefits of all therapies. Deciding to receive this vaccine or not is just like any other medical procedure. Evaluate the risks and benefits based on good information. Don’t close your eyes, but keep searching for answers.
Original Article:
Aleena Banerji, Paige G. Wickner, Rebeca Saff, Cosby A. Stone, Lacey B. Robinson, Aidan A. Long, Anna R. Wolfson, Paul Williams, David A. Khan, Elizabeth Phillips, Kimberly G. Blumenthal. mRNA Vaccines to Prevent COVID-19 Disease and Reported Allergic Reactions: Current Evidence and Approach. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, 2020; DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.12.047
Thanks to Science Daily:
Massachusetts General Hospital. “Allergists offer reassurance regarding potential allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines: Team stresses that people with food or medication allergies can safely be vaccinated.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 31 December 2020. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201231131638.htm
Further Reading:
Suspicions grow that nanoparticles in Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine trigger rare allergic reactions
By Jop de Vrieze https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/12/suspicions-grow-nanoparticles-pfizer-s-covid-19-vaccine-trigger-rare-allergic-reactions
CDC VAERS Site
https://www.medalerts.org/vaersdb/findfield.php?TABLE=ON&GROUP1=AGE&EVENTS=ON&VAX%5B0%5D=COVID19
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
