USAQ and AllergiEnd® Announce Allergy Testing Kit Distribution Ahead of COVID-19 Vaccine
(Updated 12/17/20 with article links)
West Palm Beach, FL, Dec. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- While the recent and rapid development of Pfizer/BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine is undoubtedly good news, Time Magazine reported that administering this vaccine to individuals with a history of severe allergic reactions is not recommended, according to a U.K. Regulator, as the United Kingdom is the first country to begin vaccinations. This news comes after two healthcare professionals, both with a history of anaphylactoid reactions, suffered adverse side effects to the vaccine. They have since recovered.
As the United States waits for the vaccine, this news from the U.K. is a cautionary warning. Physicians should begin making preparations ahead of time for those patients with a history of allergic reactions. Despite the uncertainty surrounding this vaccine, physicians can alleviate the patient's worry by providing an allergy test ahead of vaccination. Patients should explore allergy testing ahead of vaccination. Often someone discovers that they are allergic to something - only after being exposed to an allergen and experiencing the negative effects.
Further complicating the issue is that approximately sixty million Americans are affected by allergic disorders. Yet, there are fewer than 3,000 practicing allergists in the U.S. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a shift within healthcare, including an increased reliance on primary care physicians. Primary care physicians need additional resources at their disposal, now more than ever, and now that includes allergy testing.
“We didn’t realize how critical our AllergiEnd products would become in the scope of screening patients prior to receiving the vaccine - but we are ready to distribute allergy test kits to all medical practices, pharmacies, and workplace medical clinics immediately.”
Our AllergiEnd® tests empowers the primary care practitioners to test and begin treating allergy patients in their own offices through a safe, easy to administer, needle-free skin test designed for administration in primary care settings. Test results are available in as little as 15-20 minutes. Patients can now have confidence in knowing if they suffer from allergic reactions (and, if so, what triggers it) before considering vaccination.
In the News
Covid-19 Vaccine and Allergic Reactions
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Updated 9:59 AM ET, Thu December 17, 2020
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday said people who have experienced severe reactions to prior vaccines or injectable drugs can still get the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19, but should discuss the risks with their doctors and be monitored for 30 minutes afterward.