What are the contents of the vaccine?
This comes from https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/2-people-had-allergic-reactions-to-pfizer-s-covid-19-shot-here-s-what-s-in-it/ar-BB1bO7O4?ocid=spartan-ntp-feeds.
- Messenger RNA- the essence of the what makes the shot work.
- Lipids or fats - polyethylene glycol- this has been linked to reactions
- Potassium chloride - both elements we have circulating in our blood stream
- Monobasic potassium phosphate - a chemical compound that would not cause an allergic repsonse.
- Sodium chloride - salt
- Dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate - another chemical compound
- Sucrose - a common sugar
What may have caused the reactions? (also from the above reference). Pro/Con
- Salts and stabilizers - No - not allergenic
- Polyethylene glycol (you may see it as PEG) - Possibly - a product that may cause reactions, but they are rare.
- Patient-related - the non-specific mast cell release/reaction- here is where the reactions are allergy-like, but no antibody is demonstrated. The vaccine interacts with the cells that are involved with allergic reactions and triggers them to release. This is where the term 'anaphylactoid' comes in. Like anaphylaxis but with anaphylaxis we need to demonstrate antibodies, when it is a triggering of the cell it is anaphylactoid and we see this with NSAIDs, opiates, contrast media etc.
- These highly-allergic people might've had some allergy treatment, or exposure to an allergen recently, and that the combination of their immune system being triggered by that event, at the same time as it was stimulated by a vaccine, was enough to send it into overdrive. A very theoretical explanation that will require more investigation.
- The fact that their immune system got stimulated by the vaccine, that could have triggered a reaction. That's why when we give people allergy shots or any kind of allergy treatment, we tell them, don't get your shot on the same day that you're getting your flu vaccine,' because you can have a bad reaction from your allergy shot if you get it on the same day as your flu vaccine.
A Dr. Jain was quoted in this article. Dr. Jain stated that it would be a big mistake for everyone with allergies to assume they won't be able to get a vaccine. A quote, "Allergic people should not be disheartened by this news, because there are other vaccines in the pipeline. Over time we will know more about the profile of these individuals who had a reaction, so that we can take the necessary precautions".
The vaccine has been approved. We should know more about the two who had the reactions soon.
Frederick E. Leickly, MD, MPH
812-379-9251