Nearly six million Americans have received a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine so far, with millions more eagerly awaiting the chance to get it. However, like any medication, the COVID vaccine also has potential side effects. In a January 7 interview, Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), warned of a side effect of the COVID vaccine that has been observed in a handful of individuals so far: severe allergic reactions.
Read on to find out how common these allergic reactions to the vaccine are, and what else Fauci says most people can expect after taking the COVID vaccine. And for the latest news on the pandemic, the CDC has just issued this bleak warning about the outbreak of COVID.
During an interview on January 7 with members of the Internal Medicine Residency program at the University of Washington in St. Louis, Fauci admitted that there is a chance that people will develop side effects from the vaccine, but stressed the fact that serious allergic reactions are extremely rare.
“There have been 21 cases of severe allergic reactions, which leads to an incidence of about 1 in a million … almost invariably in people with a history of severe allergic reactions,” explained Fauci. “So yes, there is an adverse event, but it is easily manageable.” And if you are concerned that you may have been exposed, if this part of your body hurts, you may have COVID.
Although Fauci noted that most of the side effects associated with any inoculation, which can range from fever to pain at the injection site, occur between 24 and 72 hours after the vaccine is administered, he said people will almost certainly know if they have had an adverse reaction in six weeks.
“[If] you look when the so-called ‘long term’ [effects occur]… the overwhelming majority, over 90 percent, occur between 30 and 45 days after the dose, “he explained, adding,” It would be extraordinarily unusual if you saw any unforeseen long-term effects. “
Although the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have been praised for their high efficacy rates, Fauci admitted that medical experts are still unsure whether or not they are able to prevent asymptomatic spread.
In addition to questioning the vaccine’s effectiveness against asymptomatic infection, Fauci said: “It is conceivable that a vaccinee could be protected from disease, but still have a replicating virus in his nasal pharynx.” And to get the latest COVID news directly to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Although many people are eager to stop wearing masks in public, that day can still take months. If people stop wearing masks, distance themselves socially and practice proper hand hygiene before herd immunity, which “would require between 75 and 80 percent of the population to be vaccinated,” is established, according to Fauci, the virus will continue to spread.
“The only thing you don’t want is to protect yourself, but to spread it to someone else, which is a good reason to wear a mask,” he said. And if you want to be safe, this is the one most likely to give you COVID, says the new study.