New Side Effect Reported For The Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine
On July 12, 2021, the FDA added a new
warning to the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, stating that the
vaccine has “an increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome during the 42
days following vaccination.” The new side effect of the Johnson vaccine
already set some alarm bells ringing in the public. What is
Guillain-Barré syndrome? And most importantly, is it a cause for
concern?
Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)
According to the FDA, Guillain-Barré
Syndrome is a “disorder in which the body’s immune system damages nerve
cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis.” The first
symptoms of GBS are tingling and numbness in the extremities, which
quickly spread through the entire body.
The condition requires hospitalization and can be a medical emergency
according to Mayo Clinic. It also needs to be noted that GBS is a very
rare complication, known to be triggered by either infection or
vaccination. The dangerous complication usually occurs several days or
weeks after a bacterial or viral infection like pneumonia, the flu, or a
gastrointestinal infection.
But there were also reports of flu vaccinations, namely the 1976 swine
flu vaccine, triggering GBS, albeit very rarely, according to Washington
Post.
Between 3,000 and 6,000 cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome are reported
annually in the United States. The cause of GBS is unknown, although
statistics seem to suggest that the condition is more common in people
who are 50 and older. Luckily, GBS is highly treatable. 93-96% of
patients fully recover from GBS in the course of a few months.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome and the Johnson
& Johnson COVID-19 vaccine
When Johnson submitted their COVID-19 vaccine for FDA approval, official
documents did not include GBS as a possible side effect. Unlike its
competitors, the novel mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, the Johnson vaccine has
two big advantages: it doesn’t need to be stored at such low
temperatures and only requires a single dose.
With these advantages in mind, the US
purchased millions of doses of this vaccine. As a result, 12.8 million
Americans were inoculated against COVID-19 with the Johnson &
Johnson vaccine. Preliminary trials state that 100 patients went on to
develop GBS at around the 42-day mark following the vaccination.
According to the FDA, 95 people out of 100 were hospitalized with GBS,
and one person died. The vast majority of patients who experienced GBC
have fully recovered, but reports of the rare complication spurred an
investigation of the vaccine by Johnson (although no official statement
has been made by the company at present).
Due to the extreme rarity and treatability of GBS following the Johnson
vaccine, medical experts do still urge most people to get it. “This
should definitely not deter anybody from getting the J&J or any
other vaccine,” said Sharon Stoll, a Yale Medicine neuro-immunologist.
The only exception to the rule is someone who already had GBS in the
past. Those with a history of Guillain-Barré are better off getting
either the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. 321 million doses of
the two mRNA vaccines have been administered already, and there’s no
link between Guillain-Barré and the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna
vaccines.
Meanwhile, the FDA urges those who have
recently received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to watch
out for the following symptoms:
- Weakness or tingling sensations, especially in the legs or arms, that
worsens and spreads to other parts of the body.
- Difficulty walking.
- Difficulty with facial movements, including speaking, chewing, or
swallowing.
- Double vision or inability to move eyes.
- Difficulty with bladder control or bowel function."
If you develop any of the above-mentioned signs of Guillain-Barré
Syndrome, seek urgent medical help.