Use of some Moderna vaccines paused in California after reports of allergic reactions
The California Department of Public Health is telling COVID-19 vaccine distributors to stop administering one specific batch.
Fewer than 10 people required medical attention within 24 hours of receiving vaccines from Moderna lot 41L20A at a California clinic, according to a CDPH media release distributed Monday. Each person suffered possibly severe allergic reactions, defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as those that require an Epi-Pen or hospitalization and otherwise known as anaphylaxis.
More than 330,000 doses from Lot 41L20A were distributed across 287 California vaccination sites between Jan. 5 and 12, with no other reported major incidents. Sacramento County does not have any doses from the lot, according to the county health department.
Though limited data exists on reactions to the Moderna vaccine, a similar vaccine has a 1-in-100,000 expected rate of anaphylaxis, according to CDPH. Less-severe reactions such as hives, swelling and wheezing have also been reported after inoculation.
The immunization site where the reactions took place has since switched to another lot of Moderna vaccines. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, CDC and Moderna will investigate the reactions and put out more information later this week.
“Our goal is to provide the COVID vaccine safely, swiftly and equitably,” state epidemiologist Dr. Erica S. Pan said in the press release. “Out of an extreme abundance of caution and also recognizing the extremely limited supply of vaccine, we are recommending that providers use other available vaccine inventory and pause the administration of vaccines from Moderna Lot 041L20A until the investigation by the CDC, FDA, Moderna and the state is complete.”
Approximately 1.3 million vaccines have been administered in California as of Sunday, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, and 204,000 people have received their second dose. Yet only 36.7% of the state’s available doses have been used so far, the seventh lowest rate in the nation.
Moderna’s vaccine, like that of Pfizer-BioNTech, reduced the risk of COVID-19 infection by 95% in trials. Approximately 75% of the American public will need to be vaccinated for a full return to pre-pandemic lifestyles, according to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease director Dr. Anthony Fauci. President-elect Joe Biden plans to have health care workers administer 100 million vaccines within the first 100 days of his presidency.
The Bee’s Tony Bizjak contributed to this story.
