COVID Vaccine and Kids: Managing Potential Allergic Reactions

After 18 long months of living through a pandemic, vaccines have paved a way forward to a new normal. On May 12, 2021, the Pfizer vaccine received emergency use authorization for adolescents as young as 12. Here at Children’s Hospital Colorado, we are a Pfizer vaccine trial site for kids ages 5 to 11. As more of our pediatric patients become eligible for the vaccine, primary care providers will be considering how to safely vaccinate patients with a risk or history of allergic reaction.

Listen to pediatric experts discuss COVID vaccine reactions

In this episode, we welcome Matthew Greenhawt, MD, to talk about incidence, policy and management of allergic reactions to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

Dr. Greenhawt is Director of the Food Challenge and Research Unit at Children’s Colorado and Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Section of Allergy & Immunology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

In this episode, our experts discuss:

• COVID-19 vaccine technology and reported reactions to date
• How vaccine reactions are reported
• Rates of severe allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines
• Educating the public about the risk of adverse vaccine reactions
• How health economists consider vaccine risk
• Polyethylene glycol as a possible cause of allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines
• How to approach vaccinating adolescents and children with a history of allergies
• Managing patients who experience adverse reactions to the first vaccine dose