Recent warnings about vaccine safety

[bennevisplace]

This is a known issue to health professionals and it will affect only a small minority of people: "vaccine-associated anaphylaxis has been a rare event". But these recent warnings are worth reading especially if you are prone to allergies.

sciencemag.org/news/2020/12...

nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/N...

[GMa27]

Have no clue what those articles are saying. Way over me.They say don't get if allergic to ingredients. Where is a list of what are the ingredients?

Thanx

[Justasheet1 in reply to GMa27]

Couldn’t post a link for you but google either vaccine or CDC.gov

[GMa27 in reply to Justasheet1]

Thanx

[bennevisplace in reply to GMa27]

Polyethylene glycol or PEG is the ingredient implicated in the handful of cases of anaphylaxis seen to date. This was with the Pfizer-B vaccine, but the Moderna vaccine uses the same ingredient and the Ox-AZ vaccine uses something chemically similar. So the issue might not be confined to mRNA vaccines, which are after all a new class.

The reaction was also seen in a few individuals with no history of allergic reactions to vaccination.

[GMa27 in reply to bennevisplace]

I have no idea if I ever had PEG before so I would not know if I was allergic or not. Is it found in flu or pneumonia shots? My sister's co- worker just had a bad reaction to the shot today. I will find out tomorrow which one and why he may have reacted. My sister gets hers Friday. Now she is nervous.

[bennevisplace in reply to GMa27]

The sciencemag article says "PEG has never been used before in an approved vaccine, but it is found in many drugs that have occasionally triggered anaphylaxis—a potentially life-threatening reaction that can cause rashes, a plummeting blood pressure, shortness of breath, and a fast heartbeat. Some allergists and immunologists believe a small number of people previously exposed to PEG may have high levels of antibodies against PEG, putting them at risk of an anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine".

[GMa27 in reply to bennevisplace]

I only heard that if you have severe allergies and use an epi pen that you should be monitored 15 min after shot. My husband is allergic to cats. Only if he goes into a person's house with cats - he usually gets reaction within short time and has to leave before it gets real bad to use the pen. We never go to houses with cats anymore and never needed to use the pen so I do not think that counts. We only purchases the pen cuz when we travelled by plane one year- a person on our plane brought a cat. We freaked out. Never imagined a cat being taken on a flight- it was always dogs. We were lucky and she agreed to sit the farthest away that she could. Nothing happened. So to be prepared we ordered the pen. That incident was 8 years ago. My grandson, 15 however is allergic to tree nuts. Discovered that about 3 years ago. Has used the pen several times. Is that more of what they are referring to?

Still waiting to speak to my sister as to why her co- worker according to her words had a horrific reaction.

[bennevisplace in reply to GMa27]

It would be interesting to know the reason for the acute reaction of your sister's co-worker.

In the UK it seems that people are asked to wait on site for 15 minutes after vaccination (see below) and maybe longer if any previous issues have been declared. But I'm guessing these procedures are not being uniformly applied.

[GMa27 in reply to bennevisplace]

My sister said her colleague was in the Marines and felt after he had Malaria shots, his body changed. Not sure why. Said his DNA was effected.

He went home after being monitored and was fine. When he woke up next day- he had 101 F fever, severe chills, headaches, aches. Remained at home under doctors care for 2 days. He has no idea what happened. He feels fine now. I asked my sister to find out if he is going to get the second shot. She gets hers Friday. 🙏

[GMa27 in reply to GMa27]

My sister said the shot was a little more painful than the flu shot. Nothing awful. She was instructed to take extra strength Tylenol. I suggested she put a pillow behind her when she went to bed because they told her not to sleep on that side. The pillow prevents that. Few hours after the shot she got very fatigued. Now she knows how my fatigue felt when I had chemo. She napped a few hours and has felt fine ever since. Shoulder area hurts. She had the Moderna one. No other issues 24 hours later.

[Jm954 Administrator]

I'm still definitely getting it as soon as I can. Almost everything in life has a level of risk, I'd rather take my chance with the vaccine rather than COVID. Staff will be aware and watching for any reactions and ready to deal with them.

Jackie

[mrsjsmith in reply to Jm954]

Thanks Jackie,

But assume it depends on where we eventually get the vaccine ! I just hope for mine it’s in a hospital or GP !

Colette x

[bennevisplace in reply to Jm954]

Yes indeed, it would not deter me either. Although anaphylaxis is likely to affect a tiny percentage of vaccinees, how this affects the majority remains to be seen IMO. I can't imagine the rollout being suspended, there's far too much urgency in heading off the spread of the rogue variant. But if everyone has to be vaccinated in a hospital setting, and/ or has to be monitored for ?? minutes before leaving the vaccination site in case of anaphylactic reaction, it could slow things down.

Maybe I'm overegging this issue (along with sciencemag and nejm) - I certainly hope so.

[Podge88 in reply to bennevisplace]

Hi all, I have a history of severe allergies/anaphylaxis (mostly shellfish, iodine, etc.). Happy to report I received the first dose of the moderna vaccine yesterday and absolutely NO issues whatsoever. Not that I wasn't worried about it, but the odds (and the science behind the vaccine) were definitely in my favor. We'll see how the second does goes. Best of luck to all as you consider your decisions.

[Jm954 Administrator in reply to bennevisplace]

Many reactions to vaccines are due to people having allergies to eggs and the virus were grown in egg cultures. This isn't the case with this vaccine so perhaps you were over 'egging' it!

[bennevisplace in reply to Jm954]

😄

[opal11uk]

Hubby has had his 2 vaccinations, 3 weeks apart, and both times was requested to sit for a further 15 minutes to make sure there was no after effect, so that is what should happen I believe to ensure safety of each and everyone who is vaccinated. If this is not requested then my advice would be to remain on site for 15 minutes and then, if you feel ok, go on your way, if not you are in the right place to receive care. Please do not let this deter you from vaccination, we all need this to get on with our lives and I can't wait to have mine.

[LeoPa in reply to opal11uk]

Same procedure where I live. 15 minutes to wait after vaccination.

[UKwoman in reply to opal11uk]

I had my first Pfizer vaccine two days ago and also had to wait 15 minutes after vaccination to ensure I felt okay. I actually suffer from angioedema and have to take maximum dose of antihistamine every day. (This has been caused by the CLL). I had a very sore arm quite quickly and didn’t feel brilliant yesterday, but feeling better today. My second injection is now in nine weeks. Although I am still convinced I had Covid in February 2019, no antibodies showed up when I had a test two months ago. I couldn’t wait to get the vaccine and was offered an early opportunity to get it as I work part time in a pharmacy and have interactions with the general public.

[lilica955 in reply to UKwoman]

Sorry,but do you have Covid in feb. 2019?

[Justasheet1 in reply to lilica955]

I think that had to be a typo

[UKwoman in reply to lilica955]

I think it probably was Covid that I had in February 2019, although at that time they hadn’t started testing. I was ill for three weeks, starting with a dry cough for 24 hours and quickly developed into what the doctor thought was bronchitis. I lost my sense of taste and smell and with all we know now, I definitely had every symptom.

[UKwoman in reply to lilica955]

Sorry 2020, not 2019

[Sepsur]

I’m still getting it - how many people object to the vaccine but happily sit down to a fag, line of coke, litre of whiskey finished off with a Big Mac whilst texting as they cross the street. 😜

[Newdawn Administrator in reply to Sepsur]

Those were the days Sepsur! 😂

Newdawn

[Sepsur in reply to Newdawn]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[thompsonellen]

I think 21 out of a 1,000,000 are having an adverse reaction v. more than 1 in 100 US citizens (and counting) are dead thanks to COVID, and countless others have permanent issues. Nothing is without risk, but the numbers speak for themselves. I think it's good to know to be prepared something could go wrong, but in general it seems we don't understand risks. For example, no one thinks twice about getting behind the wheel of a car.