We would like to address some questions and concerns that have been brought up by our patients recently regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.
Due to reported cases of anaphylaxis to the vaccine, there have been understandable concerns whether or not an individual with a history of allergies (including to food, seasonal, drugs, etc.) should receive the vaccine. Based on current CDC guidelines, the ONLY contraindication to getting the vaccine is if you have a history of allergic reaction to other vaccines or known allergy to identified components of the COVID-19 vaccine, namely polyethyl glycol or polysorbate. Otherwise, we are encouraging all our patients to receive the vaccine when given the opportunity. That said, if you are concerned about a potential allergic reaction, we recommend that you bring your epinephrine device to your vaccination appointment, inform the administering health care provider of your allergies and ask to be observed for at least 30 mins.
Currently, there is no standardized testing available to test for allergy to the COVID-19 vaccine or any ingredient component.
We do not know when our office will be able to acquire doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. It largely depends on our state’s distribution plan and timeline. If we do have a chance to offer the vaccine in our clinic and you are interested in being contacted, please call our office and we can put your name on our waiting list (for established patients only).
For updated guidelines relating to allergies and the COVID-19 vaccine, we have been primarily referencing the CDC website:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/allergic-reaction.html
For those living in Montgomery County, this is a good website to reference to see when you’ll be eligible to receive the vaccine:
https://montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/
We are also happy to share that all staff in our clinic have been fully vaccinated. We will continue to take proper precautions in our office to ensure the safety of all our patients.
Stay safe and healthy!
– Dr. Kao and staff
