The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has made new recommendations for obtaining a Covid-19 vaccine for people with a history of allergies.
The recommendations, published Saturday on the CDC’s site, suggest that people who have ever had a severe allergic reaction, also known as anaphylaxis, to an ingredient in a Covid-19 vaccine should not receive that vaccine.
The CDC considers a reaction serious if the person needs to be treated with epinephrine or if they need to be hospitalized. Symptoms of anaphylaxis may include shortness of breath, throat closure, nausea, and dizziness.
The agency added that people with a history of anaphylaxis from other vaccines or injectable medications should see their doctor about getting the Covid-19 vaccine.
In corresponding guidelines issued to vaccine providers, the agency said the “CDC considers a history of serious allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis to any vaccine or injectable therapy (eg, intramuscular, intravenous, or subcutaneous) as a precautionary measure, but not as a contraceptive. indication, vaccination. “
For people with a personal or family history of serious reactions unrelated to vaccines or injectable drugs, the CDC says, they can still receive the Covid-19 vaccine. The agency added that individuals with a history of allergies to oral medications or those with milder reactions to vaccines can also still be vaccinated.
If a person experiences anaphylaxis after their first injection of covid-19, the CDC says they should not have the second injection.
More details: The agency recommends that vaccine providers check all people 15 minutes after getting the vaccine; people with a history of severe allergic reactions should be monitored for 30 minutes. In the event that a reaction does occur, the CDC says all vaccine suppliers should have epinephrine, antihistamines, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, and timing devices on hand to treat and monitor reactions.
They also note that reports of serious reactions should be sent to the national vaccination reporting system.
On Saturday: At a meeting of the CDC advisory committee reviewing the use of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine, CDC’s Tom Clark said that of the more than 272,001 doses of the Pfizer / BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine administered Saturday, there have been six serious allergic reactions.