Woman will get Moderna COVID-19 vaccine second dose despite allergic reaction to first
The state epidemiologist already recommended that providers stop administering remaining doses from the lot
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}One woman who suffered an allergic reaction to Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine said she will "absolutely, positively" get the second dose citing concerns about the virus itself. Cheryl Brennan, who received the dose at Petco Park in San Diego last week, said her reaction started about 18 minutes after receiving the first dose.
Moderna on Tuesday said that it has received a report from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that several individuals were treated for possible allergic reactions at a vaccination center after receiving a dose from one lot of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine. The state epidemiologist has already recommended that providers stop administering remaining doses from the lot.
"The company is fully cooperating with CDPH in investigating these reported adverse events," a statement released by the company said on Tuesday. "Consistent with the statement from CDPH, at this point Moderna is unaware of comparable clusters of adverse events from other vaccination centers which may have administered vaccines from the same lot, or from other Moderna lots."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CALIFORNIA OFFICIAL CALLS FOR PAUSE ON MODERNA VACCINE LOT AFTER POSSIBLE REACTIONS
The company said that it "expects that a significant portion" of the distributed doses from the lot, identified as batch number 041L20A, have already been used. It is not clear what may have contributed to the cluster of outbreaks, or if all the recipients who suffered a reaction had underlying allergies.
"This investigation is still ongoing and Moderna is working closely with FDA and CDC to understand the clinical cases and whether the broad pause in use of the lot is warranted," the statement said.
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Brennan told Fox 5 San Diego that she has a shellfish allergy, and that she had been asked to stay 30 minutes after the jab for observation.
She said she honked her car horn to signal trouble and was impressed with the quick response.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"My blood pressure went to 185 over 125, which I guess is very life-threatening… They hooked up electrodes. They put ice packs on me. I had four EMTs and two nurses helping me and they brought my blood pressure back down within 45 minutes," Brennan told the news outlet.
Still, she will return to get the second dose.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"My opinion, if I get COVID, I would probably have a lot worse reactions than just having those issues … And my husband has underlying health conditions, so it’s worth taking that chance," she told the outlet.