A colleague of hematology and oncology at Boston Medical Center developed a severe allergic reaction after receiving a dose of the Modern coronavirus vaccine on Thursday.
Dr. Hossein Sadrzadeh’s reaction appears to be the first known case related to the Modern vaccine, The New York Times and CNN reported on Friday; a handful of allergic reactions related to the similar Pfizer vaccine have also been reported in the United States.
Sadrzadeh, who has a strong allergy to seafood, said that moments after being vaccinated in the hospital on Thursday afternoon, his heart raced. At first, he realized it was just stress or anxiety.
But within minutes, he realized that his tongue and throat were tingling and starting to go numb. He started to sweat profusely, became pale and very cold. He described it as the worst allergic reaction he has experienced since he was 11 years old.
Sadrzadeh came prepared. He brought his personal EpiPen with him for the vaccine consultation and used it after the allergic reaction started. He was being monitored by nurses at the time of the onset of the allergic reaction, as reported by the hospital, and was referred to the emergency room for evaluation, treatment and observation.
Sadrzadeh said he was feeling normal again on Friday morning.
“I feel that if I didn’t have my EpiPen with me, I would be intubated now, because it was very serious,” he said.
A health care professional in Maine with a history of severe allergies had a reaction to the Pfizer vaccine earlier this week, and federal regulators are monitoring a handful of other reported allergic reactions.
Most of the side effects seen in Moderna’s clinical studies – pain, fever, headache and fatigue – were considered mild or moderate, but not dangerous. A relatively small number of people have experienced more serious adverse events.
Sadrzadeh said he hopes his story will encourage anyone with a history of allergy to get information before they get the vaccine – and bring their EpiPen with them when they get vaccinated.
He also recommended that people with allergies receive the coronavirus vaccine at a hospital, rather than at a community provider.
“I really want people to take this seriously, those people who have severe allergic reactions. I want you to talk to your doctors, your allergist. I want them to carry EpiPen, if they have it at home, and also inform the person who is giving the injection that they have a serious allergic reaction, ”he said. “I knew the symptoms. I had the experience. I was a doctor and I was scared to death. Imagine someone who doesn’t have the information. “
Sadrzadeh also contacted Moderna to offer a blood sample in an effort to find out which ingredient in his vaccine could trigger an allergic reaction in some people.
“I really don’t want anyone to go and experience this and go through this event that I had,” he said.
Felicia Gans can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on twitter @FeliciaGans.