Doctor uses allergy autoinjector to stem his own allergic reaction to Moderna vaccine

A Boston doctor who has a shellfish allergy had a serious reaction to Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine, was allowed to use his allergy autoinjector and has recovered, health officials report.

Dr. Hossein Sadrzadeh, who has a severe shellfish allergy, according to NBC Boston, received the vaccine on Thursday and was then observed post-vaccination, as is standard procedure, according to a statement from Boston Medical Center.

“He felt he was developing an allergic reaction and was allowed to self-administer his personal [allergy autoinjector]. He was taken to the Emergency Department, evaluated, treated, observed and discharged. He is doing well today,” the statement reads.

Sadrzadeh’s allergic reaction is reportedly the first from the Moderna vaccine, according to the New York Times.

The Times reported that there have been at least six cases of people developing anaphylaxis after getting the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The two vaccines have similar ingredients, according to the Times.

A spokesman for Moderna told the Times that the company does not comment on individual cases.

Sadrzadeh, a geriatric oncology fellow, said his tongue and throat began to tingle after he received the injection, according to the Boston Globe. He then began to sweat, go pale and felt cold, the Globe reported.

Sadrzadeh called it the worst allergic reaction he’s had since he was 11 years old. By Friday, Sadrzadeh had recovered from the reaction.

Although it’s unclear what ingredient may have triggered Sadrzadeh’s reaction, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that people who have had “severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in a COVID-19 vaccine” should “not get that specific vaccine. If you have had a severe allergic reaction to other vaccines or injectable therapies, you should ask your doctor if you should get a COVID-19 vaccine. Your doctor will help you decide if it is safe for you to get vaccinated.”

The most common side effects of the Moderna vaccine have been fatigue, headache and muscle pain, according to NBC Boston.

More than 1.9 million people have received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to the latest data available from the CDC. More than 9.5 million doses have been distributed.