Key TakeawaysSevere allergic reactions to the currently-authorized COVID-19 vaccines are rare.People who have had a previous severe allergic reaction to a vaccine should wait 30 minutes at the vaccine clinic after getting a vaccine. That way, if a reaction does occur, it can be treated immediately.

Key Takeaways

Severe allergic reactions to the currently-authorized COVID-19 vaccines are rare.People who have had a previous severe allergic reaction to a vaccine should wait 30 minutes at the vaccine clinic after getting a vaccine. That way, if a reaction does occur, it can be treated immediately.

Based on reports of close to 2 million vaccinations administered to prevent COVID-19 in the U.S., fewer than two dozen people experiencedanaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that is a rare risk factor with the vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the news in the January 6 edition of its weekly journalMorbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

How Does Moderna’s Vaccine Measure Up To Pfizer’s?

People who have had any anaphylactic reaction in the past are asked to wait for half an hour,Thomas Clark, MD, MPH, deputy director of the division of viral diseases at the CDC, tells Verywell. Anaphylaxis can be reversed with a drug called epinephrine that health facilities distributing the COVID-19 vaccines must have on hand.

According to the study, 17 of the 21 people who experienced anaphylaxis had documented histories of allergies or allergic reactions, including seven who had a history of anaphylaxis.

In a briefing with reporters this week, Nancy Messonnier, MD, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said that the 21 cases of anaphylaxis translate to a rate of 11.1 cases per million doses. Comparatively, cases of anaphylaxis associated with the flu vaccine appear at rate of 1.3 per million doses, according to the CDC.

“The anaphylaxis rates for COVID-19 vaccines may seem high compared to flu vaccines,” Messonnier says, “But I want to reassure you this is still a rare outcome."

Expect Mild Side Effects From COVID-19 Vaccines, CDC Advisory Group Says

Messonnier says the CDC has been adapting recommendations as it learns more. For example, the organization recently recommended that anyone who has an immediate or allergic reaction to the first COVID-19 vaccine dose not receive the second dose. And anyone with a history of an immediate allergic reaction to injectable vaccines and people with a history of anaphylaxis from any cause should be observed for 30 minutes after vaccination.

“Right now, the known and potential benefits of the current COVID-19 vaccines outweigh the known and potential risks [of] getting COVID-19," Messonier says. “The CDC and FDA are rigorously reviewing all serious adverse event reports.”

Clark says the CDC plans to do a similar study with the Moderna vaccine.

What This Means For YouIf you have no known risk of allergy to vaccines or the components of the current COVID-19 vaccines, you should get vaccinated. Medical staff at vaccination sites can treat allergic reactions in the rare cases that they occur.

What This Means For You

If you have no known risk of allergy to vaccines or the components of the current COVID-19 vaccines, you should get vaccinated. Medical staff at vaccination sites can treat allergic reactions in the rare cases that they occur.

Other studies confirm what the CDC study shows about the low risk of severe allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines. A December 2020 study in theJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunologylooked at allergic reactions in the U.K., where vaccines were administered ahead of the U.S. Results showed that:

While the rare chance of an allergic reaction may mean a small subset of people can’t take the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, other vaccines are coming up for review that may be safer for those at risk of anaphylaxis.

Types of COVID-19 Vaccines

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.

2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Allergic reactions including anaphylaxis after receipt of the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine — United States, December 14–23, 2020.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 6 January 2021. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7002e1Banerji A, Wickner PG, Saff R, et al.Mrna vaccines to prevent covid-19 disease and reported allergic reactions: current evidence and approach.J Allergy Clin Immunol: In Practice. Published online December 2020:S2213219820314112. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2020.12.047

2 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Allergic reactions including anaphylaxis after receipt of the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine — United States, December 14–23, 2020.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 6 January 2021. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7002e1Banerji A, Wickner PG, Saff R, et al.Mrna vaccines to prevent covid-19 disease and reported allergic reactions: current evidence and approach.J Allergy Clin Immunol: In Practice. Published online December 2020:S2213219820314112. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2020.12.047

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Allergic reactions including anaphylaxis after receipt of the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine — United States, December 14–23, 2020.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 6 January 2021. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7002e1Banerji A, Wickner PG, Saff R, et al.Mrna vaccines to prevent covid-19 disease and reported allergic reactions: current evidence and approach.J Allergy Clin Immunol: In Practice. Published online December 2020:S2213219820314112. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2020.12.047

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Allergic reactions including anaphylaxis after receipt of the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine — United States, December 14–23, 2020.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 6 January 2021. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7002e1

Banerji A, Wickner PG, Saff R, et al.Mrna vaccines to prevent covid-19 disease and reported allergic reactions: current evidence and approach.J Allergy Clin Immunol: In Practice. Published online December 2020:S2213219820314112. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2020.12.047

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