SAN ANTONIO — Even before the vaccine was approved we heard about who should get a coronavirus vaccine. But it turns out it may not be for everyone.
After the first doses of the coronavirus vaccine were administered there were several reports from around the world of people developing allergic reactions. That sparked concern for some of you.
"Our recommendation is, if you've had a severe reaction to an immunization or food allergies where it's been severe enough, you've needed an EpiPen. Then it's an individual decision between you and your doctor whether or not you should get this vaccine," said Dr. Robert Leverence, the Chief Medical Officer at UT Health. He also says another group that should consult with their doctor before getting a COVID vaccine that we don't hear a lot about, are those with autoimmune disorders.
"Those are people with already revved up immune systems. And here we're going to inject a vaccine intended to ramp up the immune system. And there's some theoretical concern that that ramping up of the immune system can worsen their autoimmune disorder," Dr. Leverence said.
He also told us there's just not enough evidence from the original study to know how the vaccine will affect those with certain health conditions. Again, it is best to talk to your doctor to see if the vaccine is right for you.
Check out the KENS 5 COVID-19 vaccine tracker for more key information about the vaccine and registration.
You can also find the vaccine tracker on the KENS5 app.
