The data is very preliminary, but it appears that serious side effects are much more common with the Pfizer COVID vaccine than after patients receive a flu shot. The CDC says its safety monitoring has detected 21 cases of anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction, after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. There were eight allergic reactions to the Moderna vaccine. The CDC said the information came from nearly 1.9 million vaccinations and covered the December 14-23 period.
That equates to 11.1 serious reactions for every million vaccinations, compared to 1.3 reactions for every million flu vaccinations.
The CDC assured the public that the number of serious reactions was still considered “rare.”
USA Today:
“We’d all hope that any vaccine would have no side effects, but even at 11 cases per million doses administered – it’s a very safe vaccine,” she said.
In 86% of cases, symptoms started within 30 minutes of vaccination and 81% of these occurred in people with a history of allergies or allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Most of the patients who reported having this serious allergic reaction – 90% – were women.
Up to 20 percent of vaccinated people experience mild side effects, including redness around the injection site, mild fever, chills, and headaches. The CDC advises those who are allergic to drugs or foods not to get the Pfizer vaccine.
Anaphylaxis is a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction and requires immediate medical attention, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. Symptoms may include rash, nausea, vomiting, breathing difficulties and shock. The most common anaphylactic reactions are to food, insect stings, medication, and latex.
The CDC said it will continue to monitor for side effects, including anaphylaxis, and regularly assess the benefits and risks of vaccination. However, the COVID-19 vaccine remains “an important tool in the fight against the pandemic”.
The CDC says 4.8 million people have received a COVID recording as of Wednesday. There have been no reports of deaths related to any of the vaccines.
Statistics so far would indicate that if you are allergic to anything, wait before getting the COVID vaccine. That’s the CDC’s recommendation, but the reason to wait – especially if you have a low risk of serious illness – is that later versions of these vaccines may be much less toxic to some people’s immune systems. The anaphylaxis response is due to the body’s immune system going into overdrive. Future vaccines may not affect people with such sensitivities.
That number of serious reactions is likely to decrease if the vaccine is more widely distributed. Even now, it is still a good bet if you are highly prone to getting seriously ill from COVID.