The US health watchdog FDA warns of a serious potential side effect with Johnson & Johnson’s corona vaccine. Authorities say there is an increased risk of a rare side effect, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), although that risk remains low.
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This concerns about 100 reports in the 12.5 million people who have received the Janssen shot in the United States. One person would have died, 95 patients had to be hospitalized. The cases have largely been reported about two weeks after vaccination and mostly in men, many aged 50 and over.
GBS is a nerve disorder that can lead to sudden muscle paralysis. It is an unintended response of the immune system. Most people make a full recovery from the condition.
Greater benefits of vaccination
Federal health officials in the US reported that the link between the vaccine and GBS has yet to be proven, but they will investigate further. They do emphasize that the benefits of Covid-19 vaccinations far outweigh the possible risks. In addition, there are known corona cases in which the patient develops GBS.
Jeanne Marrazzo, director of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, says the absolute risk of Guillain-Barré remains so rare that “it shouldn’t deter people from getting vaccinated.”
Symptoms of GBS include feeling weak, tingling in your arms and legs, double vision, having trouble walking, speaking, chewing, swallowing, and not getting bladder or bowel control.
The flu vaccine can also cause GBS as a serious side effect in very exceptional cases. According to research by the US CDC, the risk of developing GBS from a natural flu infection is greater than from vaccination with the flu vaccine.
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