 |
| Senior citizens with comorbidity and frontliners line up at Pinyahan Elementary School in Quezon City during the continuation of inoculation of the Sinovac vaccine on April 14, 2021.(Photo from The STAR/Michael Varcas) |
[Asia News Communication = Reporter Reakkana] MANILA — The National Adverse Events Following Immunization Committee (NAEFIC) yesterday asked the public not to take paracetamol and anti-allergy drugs before getting vaccinated against COVID-19. PhilStar reported that NAEFIC member Eileen Alikpala Cuajunco said they do not recommend “pre-medication” to prevent allergic reactions to the vaccines.
“We want to see if you really have a reaction so we can actually (monitor you) within 30 minutes if you do react and not days later because you’re on anti-allergy (medication),” she said at a media forum organized by the Department of Health (DOH). NAEFIC data showed that the top five adverse events following immunization (AEFI) for Sinovac are blood pressure increase, headache, vaccination site pain, dizziness, and rash. For AstraZeneca vaccines, the five leading AEFI are fever, headache, vaccination site pain, chills, and myalgia.
Cuajunco said the committee has not documented any incidents of blood clotting with the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was reported in some countries in Europe. She said there were cases of vaccinees who tested positive for COVID-19 after receiving the jabs. “The virus already incubated when they received the vaccine. So we ask the public to continue to follow COVID-19 recommendations. They should not be sick before vaccination,” Cuajunco said.
