From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.
As the COVID-19 vaccinations begin, health officials around the world are watching for any problems that may develop. These side effects – a consequence of taking the vaccine – are both expected and unexpected.
Allergic reactions
Recently, two health workers in the state of Alaska experienced allergic reactions after receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. One had a serious reaction and was admitted to hospital for observation. The reaction of the second employee was less severe.
Great Britain recently reported two similar cases. The Associated Press (AP) reported that these people had severe allergies in the past. As a result, British officials have warned people with a history of severe allergies to drugs to delay vaccination.
Health officials in the United States are not issuing such a strong warning. Health professionals in the US always ask people about allergies before vaccinations. Instructions for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine say to avoid it if you are severely allergic to any of the vaccines ingredients or have already had a response to it.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to remain under observation for about 15 minutes after a vaccination. Those with a history of allergies should stay for 30 minutes. If they have a reaction, they can be treated immediately.
However, doctors said the Alaska health worker who had the severe allergic reaction had no history of allergies. She experienced redness in her face and difficulty breathing 10 minutes after the first shot. She’s not getting a second shot. The second Alaska worker showed less severe symptoms. Her eyes became swollen, her throat scratchy, and she felt shaky or light-headed.
Allergic reactions are common with new medications. However, observing COVID-19 vaccines for unexpected side effects is more difficult in this case.
This is due to the large number of people who will have to be vaccinated next year. Another difficulty is the different types of vaccines that are used at the same time. It is quite possible that one vaccine has different side effects than another.
The first vaccine to be widely used in the US and many Western countries is the vaccine made by Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech. The second vaccine from the Moderna company is expected soon.
Both vaccines are made with the same method. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said huge studies of each have not uncovered major safety concerns.
Dr. Jesse Goodman, of Georgetown University, was a top vaccine officer with the FDA. He told the AP that concerns about allergies “highlight the importance of real-time safety monitoring. “
Health officials have different ways of observing how people respond to COVID-19 vaccines. The AP said that in the coming months, as more people are vaccinated, health officials will create more ways to monitor responses to the vaccines.
Flu-like side effects
Getting the Pfizer BioNTech or Moderna vaccine can be temporary discomfort. This happens with many vaccines.
In addition to arm pain, people may experience high body temperature and other flu-like feelings symptoms. These include extreme fatigue, body aches, feeling cold and headaches. These symptoms last for about a day. But sometimes they can be serious, causing the person to miss work. Reports suggest these symptoms are more common after the second injection and more common in younger people.
COVID-19 vaccines seem to cause more of those reactions than a flu shot. In some people, the response is similar to that of people who receive the vaccine for the infection called shingles.
Coronavirus-like side effect
However, some reactions resemble early symptoms of the coronavirus. This is one reason why hospitals don’t give the vaccine to all of their employees at once. They give the vaccines to workers in smaller groups for longer periods of time.
What about serious risks?
The FDA found no serious side effects in the tens of thousands of people involved in studies of the two vaccines.
However, sometimes rare but serious side effects occur when a vaccine is widely used. This also happens if the vaccine has not undergone exact and complete testing.
Dr. Jay Butler of the CDC warned that weighing possible risks “with the benefits The vaccine provides in the pandemic is an ongoing process. “
And that’s the Health & Lifestyle report. I am Anna Matteo.
Anna Matteo adapted this Associated Press story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.
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Words in this story
allergic –Adj., allergy –N. related to a medical condition that causes a person to become ill after coming into contact with a substance that is harmless to most people
ingredient –N. one of the substances that make up a mixture
swollen –Adj. larger than normal, swollen
scratchy –Adj. painful, larger or rougher than normal
to monitor –V. watching, observing, listening, or checking for a special purpose, such as health, over time
discomfort –N. an uncomfortable or painful feeling in the body
symptom –N. a sign that a disease or problem is present
benefit –N. good, useful or healthy results