There has been a lot of speculation about the risks and benefits of the three Covid19 Vaccines available in the United States. In addition to the unfortunate deaths connected to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the White House Covid taskforce and the CDC have admitted that allergic reactions to the ingredients in Moderna and Pfizer may be severe.
Circulation of the Johnson & Johnson jab was paused on April 13th after reports of severe blood clots developing in a few people who were injected with it. Out of the 15 confirmed cases, 7 women were hospitalized and three died.
On Friday a CDC panel suggested that the J&J shots resume for adults 18+. Johnson & Johnson said that it has negotiated a warning label to make health care providers aware of a potentially increased risk of rare but severe blood clots and low platelet counts in women under 50. Neither the FDA or the CDC have confirmed adoption of a warning label.
If you have already received the J&J COVID-19 Vaccine and develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath you should seek medical care right away.
New York Gov. Cuomo announced that State supported vaccination sites that previously offered the J&J shot have switched to the Pfizer vaccine. Given the major differences in the one-jab Johnson & Johnson and the mRNA technology of Moderna & Pfizer vaccines, it's important to understand the ingredients of each and if you are allergic to any of it.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an immediate allergic reaction typically occurs within 4 hours of vaccination, and may include symptoms such as hives, swelling and respiratory distress.
During an "Ask Me Anything" twitter session with Dr. Fauci, one person brought up the issue of severe allergic reactions related to the vaccines.
"Are there any alternative meds in the works for people who cannot take the current vaccines due to anaphylaxis dangers?" - @307Geo
This prompted a response from the White House Covid19 Task force, effectively stating that people who are allergic to its ingredients should NOT take the vaccine.
The tweet reads:
"For most people, benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the risks. However, those who have had a severe allergic reaction or an immediate allergic reaction to any ingredient in an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine should not get vaccinated." -AF (Anthony Fauci)
The following information comes directly from the CDC Website:
If you are allergic to polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polysorbate
PEG and polysorbate are closely related to each other. PEG is an ingredient in the mRNA vaccines, and polysorbate is an ingredient in the J&J/Janssen vaccine.
If you are allergic to PEG, you should not get an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Moderna & Pfizer)
If you are allergic to polysorbate, you should not get the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.
If you aren’t able to get one type of COVID-19 vaccine because you are allergic to an ingredient in that vaccine, ask your doctor if you should get a different type of COVID-19 vaccine.
Learn about the different types of COVID-19 vaccines.
Stay safe,
The Hustle for Health team