Anaphylactic Reaction to Covid Vaccine So Far 6 Out of 272,000 – Normal Rate is 1 in 1 Million

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Anaphylactic reactions to the new Covid19 vaccines have so far have registered at a rate of 6 out of 272,000 people. The normal such rate for a vaccine is 1 in 1 million doses.

Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening reaction that can cause rashes, a plummeting blood pressure, shortness of breath, and a fast heartbeat.

The Covid19 vaccines authorized for emergency use in the U.S. – including candidates by companies Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna – include a compound called polyethylene glycol or PEG. That compound is used in the packaging of the messenger RNA (mRNA) that forms the vaccine’s main ingredient.

Scientists believe that a small percentage of the population previously exposed to PEG may have high levels of antibodies against the compound, putting them at risk of an anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine.

The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) reportedly convened several meetings last week to discuss the reactions with Pfizer and Moderna, independent scientists and physicians, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), reports the publication Science.

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