On Saturday the CDC issued guidance related to COVID-19 Vaccines and Severe Allergic Reactions following reports of some patients experiencing anaphylaxis after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Specifically, the CDC recommends patients experiencing a severe allergic reaction after getting the first shot should not get the second shot. The CDC also says that doctors may refer these patients to a specialist in allergies and immunology to provide more care or advice.
Following the FDA approval of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, and the CDC’s new recommendations regarding severe allergic reactions, the American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology has updated its guidance related to patients with a history of allergic reactions. This guidance addresses patient history, wait times after receiving the vaccine, treatment advice and more. We will continue to keep this guidance updated as more information becomes available.
Click the links above for additional information.
Further information from our AACOS doctors:
Dr Webb says “We want to remove any obstacles to patients safely receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and will be available for testing and careful administration of this vaccine very quickly after it becomes available.”
“We will be developing a process for evaluating for the risk of a reaction and for administering the vaccine safely.” After all, Dr. Soteres says, “We know how to treat allergic reactions, but the evidence for treating COVID infection is still in development.”
Dr. Fulton has pointed out, “At our office we have safely administered several vaccines using a standardized testing and administration protocol. We’ve done it for years. We have administered MMR and flu vaccines for people with egg allergy concerns. We have administered Tetanus and Chicken Pox vaccines for individuals with concerns as well. We should be able to safely test for allergy to COVID vaccine and develop a protocol for safe administration.”
Worried about COVID-19? … it could be allergies
The symptoms of COVID-19 are well published: fever, cough and shortness of breath. If you have a fever and these other symptoms, then you should contact the El Paso County Health Department for more guidance (719) 985-7189. The website www.cdc.gov has great coverage and guidance as well.
If you DO NOT have a fever and you still have a lot of Upper Respiratory Symptoms then you should give us a call. Asthma & Allergy Associates, PC has been taking care of the Southern Colorado community for more than 50 years. Allergy symptoms are runny nose, congestion, post-nasal drip and these can lead to a cough. Allergy symptoms are sneezing, itchy eyes and sometimes itchy skin.
If allergy symptoms are not controlled, then many people don’t sleep well and this can lead to fatigue. If you are using the wrong allergy medicines and some over the counter meds, they can have adverse effects also.
Currently, the tree pollens are floating around at high levels. These pollens activate your immune system and you can have severe allergy symptoms. You may feel sick like you have the flu, or worse. But if you don’t have a fever then it could be your allergies acting up. In Texas the Cedar Tree pollen levels get so high that they call the symptoms, ‘Cedar Fever.’
If you are experiencing allergy symptoms and don’t have a fever, then consider coming to Asthma & Allergy Associates for a complete evaluation of allergy triggers. Allergy triggers include tree, grass and weed pollens, cat and dog dander, dust and molds. We can perform a simple test to help you understand what your triggers are. We can outline a care plan that will help control these symptoms.
COVID-19 information and guidelines for our asthma and COPD patients:
- Do NOT stop your inhaled medications – if you are on inhaled steroids, stay on them!
- Make sure you have adequate, non-expired rescue inhaler
- Wash your hands frequently
- Keep away from others that may be sick
- Make sure to keep your other conditions controlled such as allergies and acid reflux
- We are still open and providing care for our patients!
- See below link for some helpful information on asthma and telling the difference between allergies, the common cold, the flu and the coronavirus:
https://community.aafa.org/blog/coronavirus-2019-ncov-flu-what-people-with-asthma-need-to-know