Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : April 20, 2021 4:43 PM IST
Anaphylaxis was reported in 4.5 cases per million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines administered in the US.
People with any history of allergies have been advised to avoid Covid-19 vaccination following reports of allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines. However, a study by allergists at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the US has concluded that severe allergic reactions to Covid-19 vaccines are exceedingly rare and therefore people with high-risk allergy histories can safely take the jabs. People with severe allergies to foods, oral drugs, latex, bee stings or venom can safely receive the Covid-19 vaccines, the experts stated in the study findings were published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. However, the experts recommend people with a recent severe allergic reaction to polyethylene glycol (PEG) -- an ingredient in the vaccines to see an allergist before getting the jabs.
Fear of allergic reactions is one of the reasons why many people are avoiding Covid-19 vaccination. The research team led by Aleena Banerji, clinical director of the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Unit at MGH, wanted to help people overcome this unnecessary vaccine hesitancy due to a lack of knowledge around allergic reactions to vaccines so that maximum number of people forward to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
The Massachusetts researchers reviewed the data of over 65,000 people who have become fully vaccinated, with the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Covid vaccines, to examine possible allergic reactions to Covid vaccinations. PEG is the common excipient in both the mRNA Covid vaccines. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction) was reported in 4.5 cases per million doses of the mRNA Covid-19 vaccines administered, with 89 per cent occurring within the 15- to 30-minute observation period. However, the agency said anaphylaxis caused by polysorbate 80, the excipient in the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen Covid-19 vaccine, is extremely rare.
The Massachusetts research team suggested that people who are allergic to PEG should avoid taking mRNA Covid-19 vaccine, and instead speak to the physician about receiving the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine. Individuals who are allergic to polysorbate 80 should consider taking the mRNA Covid-19 vaccines, after consulting with the physician.
With inputs from agencies
