City Limits will address five commonly offered reasons for not getting vaccinated against COVID-19 this week in a short Q&A series. Today’s question:
Can I take the vaccine if I have an egg allergy?
IU Health infectious disease specialist Dr. Tom Hrisomalos says the vaccine does not cause problems for people allergic to eggs. He said the same holds true for people allergic to penicillin, bee stings, other medicines and most common allergens.
“If you’re allergic to other things, it’s OK to get this vaccine,” he said on Noon Edition.
If you know you have allergies and still have concerns, the CDC suggests checking with your physician.
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Hrisomalos and the CDC both note people allergic to polyethylene glycol (PEG) may have an allergy to the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. The CDC further notes those allergic to polysorbate may have an allergic reaction to the J&J/Janssen vaccine.
The CDC web site states, “if you are allergic to PEG, you should not get an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Ask your doctor if you can get the J&J/Janssen vaccine. If you are allergic to polysorbate, you should not get the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. Ask your doctor if you can get an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.”
PEGs are used in medicines that treat constipation. Polysorbates are commonly used as emulsifiers in the food industry, as well as in cosmetics, detergents, paints, some plastics and pharmaceuticals.
