COVID: Victoria allergist assures people allergic reactions to vaccines are rare

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — With only a couple days before B.C.’s vaccine passport takes effect, an allergy expert wants to ensure people aren’t fearful of getting vaccinated.

Dr. Scott Cameron, who specializes in immunology, is reminding people –still nervous about getting vaccinated against COVID-19– your risk of having an adverse reaction is extremely low. Only 11 out of a million doses delivered in this province are actually cause for concern.

“Of all the patients that funnel their way to us, very, very few of them –even the ones we thought needed tests actually had an allergic reaction.”

A 40-year-old Surrey mom of two children under age four says after experiencing a minor reaction when she got her first dose in April, she hasn’t been able to get fully immunized.

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However it’s not that she’s reluctant. It’s because she keeps getting turned away by a vaccine clinic in Surrey. She’s now waiting for a public health nurse to confirm it is safe for her to get the second shot.

She’s not comfortable sharing her name because she has a high profile job, but Cameron explains, “Most of these concerns from patients are not actually an allergic reaction.”

“This is a stress response. We’re breathing a bit quicker. We’re noticing the mask on our face or maybe feeling a little light-headed and those things happen. There’s a large number of patients out there that have a needle phobia or are afraid of going in for medical procedures and, unfortunately, there’s a lot of people that are afraid of this vaccine.”

Cameron, who’s based in Victoria, adds it’s natural for people to experience stress-related anxiety after getting their first dose, but he’s advising anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated yet to please get it done as soon as possible.

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