Washington, December 30 As of December 19, more than 272,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine had been vaccinated in the United States, including six more serious allergic reactions. The media quoted experts as saying that allergic reactions may be related to polyethylene glycol compounds in vaccines.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved two applications for emergency use of the coronavirus vaccine this month, one jointly developed by Pfizer and the German biotechnology company, and the other by Moderna.
The two vaccines have been distributed across the United States, giving priority to medical staff and groups living in long-term care institutions such as nursing homes.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the six more serious allergic reactions reported so far come from a vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer and German biotechnology company. The U.S. Drug Administration will closely monitor the vaccination of Moderna.
Peter Marks, director of the Bureau’s Biological Product Evaluation and Research Center, said that both approved vaccines contain polyethylene glycol, which may be related to allergic reactions.
Polyethylene glycol has good water solubility and is widely used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and other industries. Both approved vaccines are mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccines. Polyethylene glycol is the component of the lipid “shell” that encapsulates mRNA fragments, which can help mRNA fragments pass through the cell membrane into the cell.
Relevant experts believe that the risk of allergic reactions in vaccines is higher than previously thought. At present, it is difficult to find out how the allergic reaction of the vaccine is different from that of other drugs containing polyethylene glycol, and whether the allergic reaction of the vaccine is typical, that is, immunoglobulin E antibody immunity. There are many possibilities to consider in the epidemic response.
The guidance on coronavirus vaccination on the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that people who have severe allergic reactions to either component of the two vaccines cannot be vaccinated.
In addition, people who develop severe allergic reactions after the first dose of vaccine cannot be vaccinated with a second dose.
