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HEALTH ALLERGIES 55 Anaphylaxis: SHOULD YOU, WOULD YOU, COULD YOU? IBy Peter Howard. f managing our health in a pandemic isn’t already enough of a challenge, the anonymous sources feeding dubious vaccination stories to our newsfeeds have managed to confront, confound and confuse people further. Now, a significant number of the Australian population are undecided about what course of action they should take when considering a Covid-19 vaccination. Just as the delayed Covid-19 vaccine rollout was beginning to gather pace, the discovery of a possible vaccine- related blood clotting risk in the under-50 age group led to increased suspicion and speculation about the possible impacts the vaccine might have, including concern among people prone to anaphylactic reactions to medications, foods or other products. With pharmacies now ready to begin 08G076 CO Retail Pharmacy Ad May21.indd 1 patient vaccinations, and pharmacists among the most trusted health professionals, we have the perfect opportunity to educate, allay patient’s fears, and get Australia’s vaccination rollout back on track. Retail Pharmacy asked a range of vaccination experts what advice pharmacists can offer to people with vaccination or anaphylaxis concerns. Experts and evidence Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (A&AA) is a patient support organisation whose mission is to listen to, guide and educate Australians prone to suffering allergies and/or anaphylaxis. CEO Maria Said shared her thoughts on how best to engage with patients in the vaccination space. “There’s certainly a lot of anxiety in the allergy community about the Covid vaccine, and people certainly need to allay their fears while understanding that risk can’t be completely removed,” she said. “People who are anxious are strongly encouraged to make an appointment to see their allergy specialist to discuss the risk for them. “The key message from us has been that unless you know that you’re allergic to a component of the vaccine, you should follow the model of being observed for the standard 15 minutes after receiving the vaccination. “If you’ve got an allergy, we recommend being observed for a little longer and remaining there for 30 minutes.” For a pharmacist, it’s important to be aware of not only the normal patient reaction, but also the allergy and anaphylaxis risk related to the Covid-19 vaccine. Retail Pharmacy asked University of Sydney vaccine expert Professor Robert Booy what to expect in the way of patient reactions to the vaccine. TO PAGE 56 Own your allergy relief with Chemists’ Own® SAVE UP TO 40% ALWAYS READ THE LABEL. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE. IF SYMPTOMS PERSIST, TALK TO YOUR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL. 4/05/2021 7:08:34 AM RETAIL PHARMACY • JUN 2021 To order contact your Arrotex OTC Territory Manager or call 1300 927 769 www.chemistsown.com.au Deal pricing valid 1 August - 30 November 2021. Available via turnover only.