Georgian nurse in coma after receiving AstraZeneca vaccine

Allergic reaction to vaccination

A 27-year-old nurse from the city of Akhaltsikhe (Samtskhe-Javakheti region) fell into a coma on March 18 just minutes after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The woman allegedly experienced anaphylactic shock; it is reported that she had no concomitant diseases.

The nurse’s condition is critical and she has been transferred to an ICU unit in Tbilisi where she was put on artificial respiration.

Before the vaccination, the woman gave an interview to local media, where she urged the public to get vaccinated.

After the incident, her family and friends came to the hospital, where they began to break the windows, blaming the clinic for everything. A scuffle with the guards took place in the courtyard. Police officers arrived at the scene.

Relatives say that they spent three hours trying to get information about the incident, but the doctors did not tell them anything.

The first comments were made by the head of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health Amiran Gamkrelidze. According to him, this is the first serious side effect that has been observed during the vaccination process in the country since it began on March 15.

“The vaccine, like any other medicine, is not immune to side effects. They are usually mild, but they can also be serious. The most serious, which develops rapidly after the administration of a vaccine or medication, is anaphylactic shock. It can happen 15, 20 or 30 minutes after the injection, although there may be a later reaction,” Gamkrelidze said.

The Ministry of Health’s Regulatory Agency has launched an investigation into the incident.

• Anaphylaxis is an acute allergic reaction of the body. Anaphylactic shock usually develops very quickly, within minutes after the allergen enters the body, although in rare cases it can develop within a few hours. Its development does not depend on the dose of the allergen. And even a small amount of it can cause anaphylactic shock.
• The vaccination process started in Georgia started on March 15. The first vaccinations are being given to medical staff. Georgia is currently using a vaccine from the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.