It is hard to believe, but it has been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic began and during that time we have hit some truly unbelievable milestones.
Fortunately, we do now have multiple COVID-19 vaccines that are proving to be safe and effective and as more folks get vaccinated and protected, will help to end the pandemic.
COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Update
How safe?
Rapid cycle analysis, which allows near-real time surveillance of possible adverse events, has found no statistically significant increased risks from the COVID-19 vaccines!
Analysis of VAERS data has also not triggered any alerts or signals.
What about anaphylaxis?
“CDC identified 66 case reports received by VAERS that met Brighton Collaboration case definition criteria for anaphylaxis (levels 1, 2 or 3): 47 following Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, for a reporting rate of 4.7 cases/million doses administered, and 19 following Moderna vaccine, for a reporting rate of 2.5 cases/million doses administered.”
Reports of Anaphylaxis After Receipt of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in the US—December 14, 2020-January 18, 2021
Anaphylaxis is occurring after some people are getting their COVID-19 vaccination, but almost certainly at a much lower rate than you think it is.
And not unexpectedly, we are seeing some folks developing lymphadenopathy, or swollen glands, in the arm that they received their vaccine. While normal, this can be concerning when found during a screening mammogram. Fortunately, radiologists and other health care providers are aware of this reaction, which should go away within six weeks.
“COVID-19 vaccinations in the arm are a well-documented cause of inflammatory unilateral axillary adenopathy.”
Mitigating the Impact of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Vaccinations on Patients Undergoing Breast Imaging Examinations: A Pragmatic Approach
What about adverse events in pregnant women who have been gotten a COVID-19 vaccine?
The CDC reports that the reactogenicity profile and adverse events observed among pregnant women in v-safe does not indicate any safety problem.
So despite any anecdotal reports of possible reactions you might see on social media or even on the news, the COVID-19 vaccines are indeed safe!
Have you gotten your COVID-19 vaccine yet?
More on COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Update
- I’m Not Anti-Vaccine, I Just Don’t Believe in the COVID-19 Vaccine
- COVID-19 Vaccination Questions and Answers
- The Truth About COVID-19 Vaccines
- Fainting After Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine
- Have Thousands Been Negatively Affected After Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine?
- Deaths Following COVID-19 Vaccination – Understanding Background Rates
- Answering Your Concerns About the COVID-19 Vaccine Development Process
- Can Vaccines Cause ITP?
- CDC – COVID-19 vaccine safety update – VRBPAC Meeting – February 26, 2021
- CDC – An Update of FDA Monitoring COVID-19 Vaccine Safety and Effectiveness – VRBPAC Meeting – February 26, 2021
- Reports of Anaphylaxis After Receipt of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in the US—December 14, 2020-January 18, 2021
- CDC – COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Technical (VaST) Subgroup Discussion and Interpretation
- CDC – COVID-19 vaccine safety update
- IAC – Ask the Experts about COVID-19 Vaccines
- Mitigating the Impact of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Vaccinations on Patients Undergoing Breast Imaging Examinations: A Pragmatic Approach
- Lymphadenopathy in COVID-19 Vaccine Recipients: Diagnostic Dilemma in Oncology Patients
- COVID-19 vaccine facts and myths – what you need to know about the new vaccines
- Lipid nanoparticles: The antivax “toxins gambit” reborn for COVID-19 vaccines