Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CDC Calls Allergic Reactions To Vaccine 'Exceedingly Rare'; 29 Reported In US
The Wall Street Journal: Covid-19 Vaccines Have Triggered Severe Allergic Reactions In 29 People In U.S. To Date
At least 29 people in the U.S. have developed severe allergic reactions to Covid-19 vaccines, federal health authorities said Wednesday. The rate is far higher than for the seasonal flu vaccine, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said. But the severe reactions were rare and didn’t result in any deaths, and they encouraged use of the shots. (McKay, 1/6)
Stat: More Allergic Reactions To Covid-19 Vaccines Seen, But Cases Remain Few
Twenty-nine people in the United States have developed anaphylaxis after being vaccinated against Covid-19 since the vaccine rollout began, health officials reported Wednesday, with cases occurring after vaccination using both the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Moderna vaccines. (Branswell, 1/6)
Los Angeles Times: CDC: Severe Allergic Reactions To Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine ‘Rare’
Severe allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech were “rare” in the first 10 days of its rollout across the country, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A total of 21 cases of anaphylaxis — none of them fatal — has been confirmed among nearly 1.9 million doses administered, CDC researchers wrote Wednesday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. That works out to 11.1 cases per 1 million doses. (Kaplan, 1/6)
The Washington Post: Allergic Reactions To The Coronavirus Vaccine Are Rare And Outweighed By The Benefit Of Protection, CDC Finds
Allergic reactions to coronavirus vaccinations remain rare and should not dissuade Americans from being vaccinated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. Of the 1.9 million people who received a shot during the first two weeks of vaccination, 21 experienced severe allergic reactions, according to a CDC study released Wednesday. Most of those people had a history of allergic reactions, and 20 of them have fully recovered. (Wan and Achenbach, 1/6)
In related news about allergic reactions —
USA Today: Death Of Florida Doctor Following COVID-19 Vaccine Under Investigation
A Florida doctor has died several weeks after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, although it's not yet clear whether his death Monday was related to the shot he received on Dec. 18. Dr. Gregory Michael, 56, an OB-GYN at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, died after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke apparently resulting from a lack of platelets. Miami medical examiners are investigating his death, the Florida Department of Health said in a statement. (Weintraub, 1/6)
ABC News: Doctors Encourage COVID Vaccination Despite Reports Of Cosmetic Facial Filler Swelling
A recent update from the Food and Drug Administration has many people concerned that the COVID-19 vaccination may have an unexpected side effect among people who had previously received cosmetic facial fillers. Many people who have received cosmetic injections to smooth wrinkles, plump lips or otherwise rejuvenate their facial appearance are wondering if they should delay their COVID-19 vaccination. But experts caution that side effects from these cosmetic fillers are so rare and so mild that they should not dissuade people from getting the vaccine. (Farber, 1/5)
