'I have no regrets at all': Victoria woman suffers allergic reaction to COVID-19 vaccine
A 32-year-old Victoria woman says she has no regrets about getting a COVID-19 vaccine, despite suffering an extremely rare allergic reaction after her first shot.
Annie Taal got her first dose at the Archie Browning centre in Esquimalt in late May. She began to feel sick within minutes of leaving the vaccine centre, according to Island Health.
“I couldn’t take a deep breath," she told the health authority, which shared her story in a media release Wednesday. "I was winded and felt like I had a sunburn."
Taal returned to the recreation centre where nurses determined she was having an anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine.
The Victoria woman was diagnosed with serious allergies as a teenager and had asked her doctor whether or not she should get the COVID-19 vaccine, Island Health says.
She was advised that the risks of contracting COVID-19 far outweighed those of an allergic reaction, according to the health authority.
“I have no regrets at all," Taal said. "I understand the fear and uncertainty many people are feeling, but the fact-based evidence shows us the vaccines are safe and they are the best way for us to move forward through the pandemic.”
Taal was taken to Victoria General Hospital for observation after nurses at the recreation centre treated her.
She was later referred to an immunologist in Victoria to determine if she could receive a second dose of vaccine. They used a technique called graded-dose administration – where the full dose is separated into smaller doses and provided over a span of time with close monitoring – and Taal is now fully vaccinated, according to Island Health.
Taal was asked to participate in a study of people who have experienced an allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine.
“I am grateful to be part of this study because we really don’t know yet why some people have these rare reactions,” she said. “If I can help just one person feel safer about getting their shot, it will be worth it.”
Dr. Michael Benusic with Island Health says a very small number of people will react to the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Severe allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines are very rare – about 1 in 100,000 people will react," Benusic said. "Our vaccination sites are set up to identify and respond to this when it occurs, which is exactly what happened with this patient."
A spokesperson for Island Health declined to say how many similar allergic reactions to a COVID-19 vaccine have been recorded in the island region, instead referring the question to the BC Centre for Disease Control.
Island Health says approximately 10 per cent of Vancouver Island residents remain unvaccinated. The health authority says the unvaccinated "are experiencing the vast majority of COVID-19 hospitalizations, critical care admissions, and deaths in critical care."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.