JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Don Wells has severe allergies. More than 40 years ago, he even had an anaphylactic reaction to some allergy shots he was getting.
"I had severe itching. Then I had trouble breathing. I was down on the floor," Wells recalled. "I got a shot of epinephrine and recovered fairly quickly."
With that health background, he had reason to be concerned about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. However, he and his physicians at the Mayo Clinic decided he should get the vaccine.
The reason is Wells has COPD, asthma and fragile lungs, so his risk of having a major illness from the coronavirus is more likely.
Dr. Arveen Bhasin, an Allergist and Immunologist at the Mayo Clinic looked carefully at Well's health situation before making her recommendation.
She is fielding questions from many patients during the pandemic.
She says with any person like Wells there are specific questions they need ask the patient:
- Have you ever had an allergic reaction to injectable medications?
- Have you ever had a reaction to a vaccination?"
If so, then the suggestion is to make a "shared decision" with your health provider about the vaccine.
- Also, if you have a known allergy to polyethylene glycol or polysorbate 80 or polysorbate 20, Dr. Bhasin recommended the patient should not receive the vaccine
- If you have a penicillin allergy, Dr. Bhasin said you should discuss it with your health care provider
- If you have allergies to food, venom, environmental factors or latex, Dr. Bhasin said you may take the vaccine, but it is important for you to be put under observation for 15 minutes.
For Wells, he went ahead with the first shot. He said it was important for him to get it in a hospital setting, just in case an issue would arise.
"They had equipment. They had stretchers. They had medicine," Wells explained. Fortunately, he is doing well.
"And I think he'll do just fine with vaccine number 2," Bhasin said.
Well says now he is much less anxious about getting that second shot.
If you have questions, reach out to our Vaccine Team on our First Coast News app.