'Hold Off On Second Dose If You Had Strong Reaction'

Medical experts on Monday advised people who have had a strong allergic reaction to their first dose of their chosen coronavirus vaccine to hold off on receiving the second dose.

A member of the government’s advisory panel on Covid-19 vaccines, David Hui, told a radio programme that those who developed swollen lips, hives, or encountered difficulty in breathing should consult an allergy specialist.

Hui, an expert in respiratory medicine at Chinese University, also said people may have to look into switching to another vaccine.

Asked about a video being shared on social media, purportedly showing a man who received a BioNTech jab suffering a seizure at a vaccination centre, Hui said some people who are scared of injections could experience a reaction in their nervous system.

That could bring a drop in blood pressure and a slowing of the heart rate, Hui explained during a phone interview with Commercial Radio.

People who have received the mainland-made Sinovac vaccine are scheduled to get their second shot starting from this week.

The president of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists, William Chui, also advised people who suffered a serious allergic reaction against getting a second dose,.

He also said those who developed a fever before their vaccine appointment or saw their chronic illness worsen should wait.

Chui also warned people to be ready for stronger side effects after their second dose of the vaccine. He noted that about one in 10 of those above 56 years old could develop a fever after their second dose of the BioNTech jab.

"The chance of developing a fever will go from the 1.4 percent after the first dose to nearly 11 percent, so you can see it's quite high, it's ten times," he told RTHK.

He also noted that around half of people will feel fatigued after getting their second dose of the BioNTech vaccine.

Another expert, University of Hong Kong microbiologist Ho Pak-leung, called on the government to release data on non-vaccinated people who suffered strokes, cardiac arrest, or sudden death to help ease concerns about serious medical incidents following inoculation.

"There's an electronic medical system within the Hospital Authority that is very convenient in providing statistical information," Ho said, while speaking on the same RTHK programme.

"You can publicise the figures daily through press releases, so that people can have a more accurate picture that the occurrence of such incidents could be similar between the inoculated and non-inoculated crowds."

And he said, based on an analysis of the available data, that both vaccines currently available in Hong Kong are safe.