SARASOTA (WSNN) – While some reactions to vaccines can be severe, most reactions are benign. When SNN’s Annette Gutierrez got her COVID-vaccine, she got a skin reaction. Experts explain what this means when you should call your doctor.
When I got the first dose of the Pfizer COVID vaccine last Monday, I broke out in a full-body rash. It began at the injection site, starting on my shoulder, and then it spread to my chest, my stomach, my thighs, my calves, and my back.
So, should I be concerned? Dermatologist Dr. Elizabeth Callahan says ‘No.’
“It’s not harmful, it happens to people, it’s not uncommon,” Sarasota Dermatologist with SkinSmart Dermatology Dr. Elizabeth Callahan said. “You’re actually in the small minority of people who report that kind of rash all over your body. What’s much more common is to have a localized swelling on your arm.”
This is considered ‘COVID arm.’ According to a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, out of the more than 400 people with skin reactions from the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, none of them were serious enough to require medical attention.
“If for any reason, you feel a tightness in your throat, you’re starting to feel a little woozy, like you’re going to blackout in the first four hours, at that point, that is something you need to pay attention to and make sure that you get help,” Dr. Callahan said.
“That’s what’s called an acute response or an acute allergic reaction,” Sarasota Allergist with Hawthorne Clinic and Research Center, Dr. Eva Berkes said.
But, Dr. Berkes tells me that this is rare.
“On the order of less than 0.05 percent,” Dr. Berkes said. “So very very unusual. The job of the vaccine is to turn on your immune system and where you get the shot is the beginning of that immune response.”
You can treat it with over-the-counter medicines like antihistamines and cortisone creams for the itch, or Tylenol if it’s painful. But Dr. Berkes advises against oral steroids.
“There is not enough research to determine how it affects the efficacy of the vaccine,” Dr. Berkes said.
The experts say it should go away in a few days, so it’s nothing to be concerned about.
“The skin is a window to seeing what your body is doing,” Dr. Callahan said. “And in some people, you have a more robust reaction to others, but it’s still such a good sign that the vaccine is working and it’s going to protect you.”
Dr. Callahan says skin reactions are usually benign.
“It should not keep you from getting the second vaccination. And the vaccine itself and all the benefits far outweigh the simple little rashes and the swollen arms we’re getting from the vaccine.”
As of May 3rd, Florida has just under nine million fully vaccinated. CDC reports there is no evidence that the vaccination contributed to patient deaths.
