[TO INCREASE COVID-19 VACCINATION RATE OF SEVERELY ALLERGIC PATIENTS UTILIZE REGIONAL COLLABORATION].

BACKGROUND

Ensuring safe COVID-19 vaccination for patients with allergies is crucial for managing the pandemic. This study aimed to retrospectively investigate the frequency and safety of immediate allergic reactions in high-risk patients who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at our institution. The study was approved by Showa University Research Ethics Review Board (Approval number: 21-113-B).

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study conducted from June 2021 to December 2021, we included patients at a high risk for anaphylaxis who were vaccinated at our hospital. Subjects were patients who were at high risk of developing immediate allergy after vaccination, whose administration was considered unsafe at the local vaccination site, and who were requested by the local medical association or hospital. COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech was administered in our outpatient clinic under the supervision of an allergist.

RESULTS

49 high-risk patients received the COVID-19 vaccine; five had anaphylaxis-like reactions, and one was diagnosed with anaphylaxis.

CONCLUSION

The rate of allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine (2.0%) was higher in patients with a history of high-risk allergies than in the general population. However, no severe anaphylaxis cases were observed, suggesting that with careful pre-evaluation and appropriate medical supervision, vaccination may be feasible even for high-risk individuals. Nonetheless, caution is warranted due to the increased incidence of anaphylaxis compared to the general population.