As the launch of the COVID vaccine continues to expand, recipients will go to a variety of locations, from pharmacies to pop-up sites and drive-thru clinics. With that in mind, it is important that those who distribute the vaccine in these locations are fully equipped to deal with rare, but potentially fatal, reactions to the vaccine. Experts advise that people, especially allergy sufferers, ensure that the vaccination site is prepared for emergencies and has the necessary equipment. For more information on the needs of the COVID vaccine site, read on and for more essential vaccine guidance, If you take these OTC drugs, you must stop before getting the vaccine.
Kimberly Blumenthal, MD, allergy quality and safety officer at Massachusetts General Hospital, told NBC that she advises people to ask, “Do they have an anaphylaxis kit?” before being vaccinated. Anaphylaxis is a dangerous reaction that can occur in just a few minutes, compressing the airways and causing the body to shock. Without an appropriate anaphylaxis kit, the professionals at the site will not be able to help you if you have a serious reaction to the vaccine. The guidelines on the Disease Control and Prevention Center (CDC) website say, “COVID-19 vaccination sites should have at least three doses of epinephrine on hand at any time.”
“Do you want to be able to treat anaphylaxis” on the spot, Mitchell Grayson, MD, an allergist-immunologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, told NBC. If your COVID vaccination site does not have an anaphylaxis kit, you need to find another location. And for the most up-to-date information, subscribe to our daily newsletter.
Blumenthal said you should also ask if they can take vital signs at the COVID vaccination site. The ability to take your vital signs will help professionals on the spot to monitor if anything goes wrong after you receive the vaccine.
Vital signs measure the most basic functions of the body and include body temperature, heart rate and breathing, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Often, blood pressure is also measured with your vital signs. And for more vaccine warnings, find out the only 2 people who shouldn’t get the COVID vaccine, says the FDA official.
Grayson says it is essential that these locations be “in a place where an ambulance can arrive in five to 10 minutes” in the event of an emergency. Even with an anaphylaxis kit, if the reaction is severe enough, the patient should be taken to the hospital as soon as possible.
The CDC reported at least 29 cases of anaphylaxis after the vaccine, and all recipients recovered. Anaphylaxis in response to the COVID vaccine is rare, with about 5.5 cases for every million vaccinations in the U.S., but it is still about five times higher with the COVID vaccine than with the NBC flu vaccine.
Some of the reported reactions occurred in people who had no previous history of allergic reactions, which means that everyone should be proactive in understanding anaphylaxis. And for information about the coronavirus, you need to know, if you have one of these symptoms, the CDC says: go to the hospital now.
The vaccine will be administered by several people, including the National Guard, dentists and pharmacists. Experts insist that these professionals be informed about signs of anaphylaxis. As reported by NBC, Nancy Messonnier, MD, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters on a call: “We are really pushing to ensure that anyone who is administering vaccines needs to not only have EpiPen available, but frankly know how to use -O.”
Messonnier said those who administer the vaccine should also be aware of the warning signs that someone may need advanced care. The CDC recommends that anyone receiving the COVID vaccine be observed for signs of anaphylaxis for at least 15 minutes after vaccination.
Signs of anaphylaxis include shortness of breath, skin reactions, nausea, vomiting, dizziness or fainting and life-threatening problems, such as low blood pressure and throat closing, according to the CDC. And to learn more about the complications of the vaccine, Dr. Fauci has just warned about the side effects of the COVID vaccine.