Can I take Covid vaccine if I have an allergy?

Currently Covid vaccines are the only effective way that can prevent Covid death. Covid vaccines are new and have come into existence in the last year itself. At many places there is a vaccine shortage. Let us try to answer ‘ Can I take Covid vaccine if I have an allergy?’

Addition to these facts many people in their minds have different doubts about Covid vaccines. 

What are allergies?

Here are some simple facts about allergies:

  • Well in simple words it is a malfunction of your immune system.
  • Everyone has got an immune system.
  • That immune system fights off the attacking agents like bacteria and viruses against your body to maintain the normal state of your body and life.
  • This immune system daily fights the attackers from everywhere from skin to your gut and respiratory tracts.
  • While handling these attacks and fighting it produces certain chemicals that are needed to fight off those attacking agents.
  • Allergy is a condition in which your immune system is hyper reactive, that is it is producing those chemicals excessively and in the process losing the balance so that you feel the bad effects on you.
  • So allergy is just hyper reactivity and loss of balance of your immune system.

What are symptoms of allergy?

Allergy manifests as many different ways from very mild symptoms to very sever ones.

Following are some common manifestations:

  • Recurrent cold.
  • Cough.
  • Asthma.
  • Fever.
  • Skin itching and rashes.
  • Conjunctival irritations.
  • Recurrent conjunctivitis.
  • Sever life threatening include anaphylaxis and urticarias.

What is Covid vaccine?

Vaccination is a process of developing immunity with the help of vaccines.

Right from the birth you have a risk of getting infectious disease so the vaccination process starts right from the birth. Many different vaccines are given as you grow in infancy and later. Vaccination has helped immensely to increase the lifespan of humans. It has drastically reduced the number of days you need to spend in hospitals admitted for infectious diseases.

It is very clear that countries where vaccination was strictly followed are doing better in health than third world countries who did not comply.

Covid is an infectious disease. It is caused by coronavirus. Covid vaccine prevents you from getting sick and dying of Covid disease.

Can Covid vaccine cause allergy symptoms?

If you are allergic to any components of the Covid or Coronavirus vaccine, you are likely to develop symptoms of allergy after getting your jab. The symptoms may appear in half an hour of getting the vaccine.

Very rarely those symptoms can be severe and cause death if the necessary arrangement for managing the allergy is not available at the vaccination centre.

Can I take Covid vaccine if I have an allergy?

If you have an allergy that does not mean you are allergic to Covid vaccine. Any allergy does not mean you will be necessarily allergic to Covid vaccines. 

If you have any allergy you should tell your doctor about it. Only concern is if you are allergic to any components of the Covid vaccine.

You can take Covid vaccine if you have any other allergy. Just make sure your vaccine centre has all the necessary arrangements to manage the allergy if it occurs. Stay at the vaccine centre at least for half an hour after vaccination.

Who should avoid Covid vaccine?

If you are allergic to any components of the Covid vaccine and had a severe allergy that is anaphylactic reaction at the time of the previous dose of the vaccine, you may avoid it.

Can I take Covid vaccine if I have a skin allergy?

Skin allergies will not automatically disqualify you from Covid vaccination. You may have skin allergy but that does not necessarily mean you are allergic to vaccines.

Can I take Covid vaccine if I have asthma?

Patients with asthma and COPD have increased risk of getting Covid and severe Covid disease. Asthma patients should get Covid vaccinations.

Can I take Covid vaccine if I have a food allergy?

Food allergy does not necessarily mean you are allergic to Covid vaccine. You can take covid vaccine.

What if I have an allergy to vaccines but still I want to take the vaccine?

Ongoing pandemic of Covid disease has posed a big anxiety in the minds of people. If you are allergic to Covid vaccine and still want to take vaccine you can follow following steps:

  • Visit an allergy specialist.
  • Your allergy specialist will suggest immunotherapy.
  • Immunotherapy makes you tolerate the components you are allergic to.
  • Take a vaccine in the presence of an allergy specialist.
  • The vaccine should be taken at the centre where necessary arrangements of managing allergy are surely present.
  • If you have got an allergic reaction to the previous dose your allergy specialist may assist you for further immunotherapy.
  • You may be able to take the vaccine after desensitization treatment in the presence of an allergy specialist and in an ICU set up.

Can a person taking BP tablets take COVID vaccination?

People with comorbidities are more prone for severe Covid disease and death. If you are on antihypertensives or BP tablets, you should take your Covid vaccination as earliest possible. For comorbid people getting prevention of disease is much better than getting treatment of disease.


<span class="has-inline-color has-luminous-vivid-orange-color">Dr Yatin Bhole MBBS DCh DNB</span>
Dr Yatin Bhole MBBS DCh DNB

This article was written by Dr Yatin Bhole who is practicing Pediatrician at Bhole Children Clinic, Ravet. This post is for general information and before applying it on yourself, you should meet your doctor or meet us in person.




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