A guide to vaccines for those with egg allergies: Which vaccines to avoid

Don’t panic, most people with egg allergy from conventional vaccines can be vaccinated normally. The only ones that really need to be vigilant and can even be considered to be avoided are the high egg protein residue vaccines prepared from specific chicken embryos. There are only a few types that are common at present. There is no need to stop eating the others due to choking.

In the early years, many viral vaccines were cultured and amplified from fertilized chicken embryos. If the purification process was not in place during the preparation process, a lot of egg white protein would remain, which could easily induce allergies. This was also the source of the previous saying that "you cannot be vaccinated for egg allergy". But now the purification process has been iterated for a long time. In most of the former "high-risk" vaccines, the residual amount of ovalbumin has been reduced to the microgram level, which is even less than the amount of egg crumbs you accidentally touched. The probability of allergies is extremely small. Not long ago, I met a girl at the vaccination clinic. Eating eggs can induce allergic rhinitis. She didn't dare to get the flu vaccine for five years in a row. Last year, I asked with the mentality of giving it a try. I found out that the ovalbumin residue of the flu vaccine she was going to get was only 0.5 micrograms per dose. After the injection, she stayed for 30 minutes to observe and nothing happened. I came here early this year to make an appointment.

Of course, there are differences in implementation standards in different regions. There are still some grassroots vaccination sites that still follow the old guidelines and do not give flu shots to those who are allergic to eggs. In fact, the latest domestic expert consensus has made it clear that except for people with a history of egg-related anaphylactic shock, the ovalbumin-free flu vaccine with recombinant technology can be given priority. People with common egg allergies (such as rashes, slight lip edema) can definitely get the regular flu vaccine, and the observation time can be extended to 30 minutes. The U.S. CDC's guidelines are more radical. Even people with a history of severe egg allergy can receive influenza vaccines for all ages. As long as they stay for enough time after vaccination, everyone can choose according to their own acceptance.

Oh, by the way, the only thing you need to be extra cautious about at the moment is the yellow fever vaccine. The mainstream technology is still cultured in chicken embryos. The residual amount of ovalbumin is much higher than that of the influenza vaccine. If you are going to the yellow fever-affected areas in Africa and South America and have a history of severe egg allergy, you can actually find a doctor at the International Travel Health Center for evaluation in advance. If you are really intolerant, you can issue a vaccine exemption certificate. It is not recommended to take it forcefully. After all, the risk of allergy is indeed much higher than other vaccines.

Many people also ask me if I can’t fight measles, mumps, chickenpox, etc.? This is really a misunderstanding that has been spread for a long time. In the past two years, I met a parent who refused to vaccinate their child with measles because the child developed a rash after eating eggs. As a result, the child was infected with measles in kindergarten, and the fever lasted for almost a week before it went away, and he suffered a lot. The ovalbumin residues of these two types of vaccines have long been reduced to negligible levels. Domestic and foreign guidelines have made it clear that egg allergy is not a contraindication for vaccination and there is no need to avoid it at all.

To be honest, now you don’t have to tie egg allergy and vaccine contraindications too tightly. Before vaccination, you should clearly explain your allergy situation. For example, if you only have a sporadic rash after eating eggs, or you will be wheezing or have a severe allergic reaction with confusion, the vaccination doctor will give you the most appropriate advice. There is really no need to miss out on necessary vaccine protection because of this. After all, the diseases that vaccines prevent are much scarier than the risks of mild allergies.