The New England Journal of Medicine has published several photos of the appearance of some of the so-called rashes on the “COVID arm”. Still, doctors say the fear of a rash is no reason to miss the chance to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
A certified dermatologist, Dr. Shirley Chi, saw the rash in some of her patients.
“All the reactions went to the Moderna vaccine and experts are not sure why the Modern vaccine seems to be a little more allergenic in that way,” said Chi.
“So the end result is that this is a normal reaction that we see. It does not mean that you should not get the COVID vaccine,” she added. “You should get it as soon as possible, and if you have any kind of reaction like that, talk to your doctor about it and we can treat you.”
RELATED | COVID-19 vaccine may cause confusion on mammography result, doctors say
Millions of people have already received vaccines from the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, and many reactions have been observed, including pain at the injection site, general fatigue and, sometimes, fever.
These reactions usually occur a day or two after the injection, but some people who are receiving the Modern vaccine are developing that mysterious rash – sometimes up to eight to 10 days after the injection.
“I had several patients who had this type of delayed reaction. One patient in particular came 10 days after receiving his first COVID vaccine and had bumps on the arm where he got the vaccine,” said Chi. “It extended to the wrist and, in fact, to the torso. We treated it with over-the-counter antihistamines and it started to improve.”
Chi says it is important to disclose the “COVID arm” rash. She says that redness is usually treatable with antihistamines, but sometimes a steroidal anti-inflammatory drug may need to be prescribed to fully resolve the problem.
RELATED | I have the vaccine. What is the next?
RELATED | Experts dispel myths about the COVID-19 vaccine
Copyright © 2021 KABC-TV. All rights reserved.