by Anika Lee
As the anniversary since COVID-19 abruptly halted our lives surpasses a year, countries all over the world have begun administering developed vaccines to their citizens, in hopes of preventing further losses to the virus. One of the vaccines developed is the “Johnson & Johnson” vaccine or the “Janssen” vaccine, which has recently raised concerns over potential nerve complications, as a reaction to the vaccine.
On Monday, July 12, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (also known as the FDA) updated their fact sheet for the vaccine, adding a warning for the symptoms of the “Guillain-Barré Syndrome” that may arise in patients who receive the vaccine. The FDA reports that use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccination has been related to an increase of Guillain-Barré Syndrome symptoms, “during the 42 days following vaccination”.
What is the Guillain-Barré Syndrome?
The Guillain-Barré Syndrome is an autoimmune disorder, meaning that the immune system of a person with the syndrome will attack and damage nerve cells, as it is unable to distinguish harmful and foreign cells from normal cells. This causes the immune system to damage nerve cells within the body, resulting in tingling, discomfort, and weakness in muscles. Symptoms of the disorder can worsen over hours, weeks, or years, increasingly inhibiting muscle movement. In rare cases, patients with the Guillain-Barré Syndrome have experienced paralysis as a result of nerve damage.
However, it is important to note that the disorder only affects roughly 1 person every 100,000 people, and around 3,000 to 6,000 people each year in the United States - from a 300 million population. As well, this disorder is one that can be treated and fully recovered from, through the use of plasma (blood) exchange therapy.
So far, the FDA has not been able to distinguish a clear connection between the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and the Guillain-Barré Syndrome, as only 100 reports of symptoms of the disorder have been made in the US, out of the 12.8 million total Johnson Johnson vaccine immunizations. Still Johnson & Johnson Co. has reported that they will be investigating this issue with the FDA, as well as the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
What now?
The FDA now recommends that anyone who experiences tingling pain or any other discomfort in the arms and legs after 42 hours of receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should seek help from medical professionals. Nonetheless, it is strongly recommended that people go get vaccinated, as the risk of the Guillain-Barré Syndrome developing is rare, and the risk and consequences of COVID-19 far outweigh that of the disorder.
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