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Allergy New Zealand is a national charity that offers reliable information, education and support so you can manage your or your child's allergy, and live an active and healthy lifestyle. Start your Allergy Journey here

Latest news

November 2021

Have allergies and worried about the Covid-19 vaccine?

It is understandable some people with allergies may be concerned about whether the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine (Comirnaty) is safe for them or their family member(s).

However, the overwhelming evidence is that the vaccine is safe for everyone whether-or-not they have allergies or other health conditions, and it is far, far safer than remaining unvaccinated and at risk of getting Covid-19. Our allergy/clinical immunology specialists and others advise:

The vaccine is safe for:

See here for further information:

UPDATED: Assessing eligibility for COVID-19 vaccination at vaccine centres: Don’t delay | The Immunisation Advisory Centre (immune.org.nz)

How do we know it is safe?

Millions of doses have been administered globally. Countries distributing the vaccine have systems in place to report adverse reactions. We know from this that:

Adverse reactions including anaphylaxis are extremely rare;
There are side effects that some people experience, but they are mild and temporary, and show the immune system is responding normally to the vaccine.

In New Zealand, all vaccine centres are required to observe those who have been vaccinated for at least 15 minutes, know the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, how to respond if it should occur, and have adrenaline on hand. There have been few reports of anaphylaxis.

If you are worried about the risk of anaphylaxis, you can ask to remain under observation for a longer period.

For more information, see How can we be confident getting vaccinated is safe? on Vimeo

Is there anyone who can’t have the vaccine?

The list of reasons why the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine may not be suitable is short:

Before the first dose:

History of severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to an ingredient of the vaccine. This is very rare, and only applies to previous anaphylaxis to a stabiliser in the vaccine called polyethylene glycol (PEG). Cases like this require expert assessment by an immunology specialist.

After problems with the first dose:

People who had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) after the first dose – this typically occurs within 15 minutes of receiving it and is the main reason for waiting after vaccination. Even when suspected anaphylaxis has occurred after the first dose, increasing experience now shows that many people can be revaccinated safely in a specialist immunology clinic setting.
Those who had myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) or pericarditis (inflammation of the lining around the heart) after their first dose of this vaccine. Myocarditis or pericarditis after the vaccine is rare. Diagnosis requires special tests and often assessment by a heart specialist.

If you meet any of these criteria, please contact your GP to discuss how to be safely vaccinated.

Ref: Who can't have the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine?

What is the long-term risk?

The known risks of COVID-19 illness and its related, possibly severe complications, such as long-term health problems, hospitalization, and even death, far outweigh the potential risks of having a rare adverse reaction to vaccination, including the possible risk of myocarditis.

Long Covid

A study from the University of Oxford and the UK National Institute for Health Research found more than one in three people with Covid-19 would experience at least one symptom of long Covid up to 6 months after being infected.

The most common were breathing problems, abdominal symptoms, fatigue, pain and anxiety or depression.

Final piece of advice

Every day someone waits to decide whether or not to be vaccinated, they are at risk of serious – and possibly long-term - health problems from catching Covid-19. They are also a risk to others – the virus is highly infectious.

Please don’t delay – get vaccinated today.

October 2021

COVID-19 Vaccine and Allergies

The advice from the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology & Allergy (ASCIA) is that the Pfizer vaccine is safe for people with allergies. See their FAQ, and information from the Ministry of Health, below.

COVID-19 Vaccination FAQ - Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)

COVID-19: Vaccine side effects and reactions | Ministry of Health NZ

Stay safe - Allergy NZ

September 2021

Vaccination Clinic at 581 Mt Eden Road - 09 623 4599

Allergy New Zealand has converted its currently empty offices at 581 Mt Eden Road into a COVID-19 vaccination clinic during Alert Level 3 in Auckland.

Vaccinations will be freely available to all members of your family who are over the age of 12 years. If you know of others living with allergies who may be interested in this service, please invite them to book and attend as well.

Please phone Mt Eden 575 Doctors to make your booking on 09 623 4599.

Please let them know you've heard of this service through Allergy NZ. No proof of membership or subscription will be required, but bookings are essential.

They will ask you to provide your name, NHI number (if you have it), date of birth and contact phone number for each individual who will be included in your vaccination booking.

We hope this initiative provides some extra comfort and safety to you and your family during these challenging times.

August 2021

Allergen Update : Sanitarium Weetbix Products now may contain SOY

These products are:

Product labels on these three Weet-Bix products have been updated to reflect a new risk of cross contact with soy. These packs now include the statement “May contain soy”. Soy allergen flashes (‘Now May Contain Soy’) have been included on top and side of pack for all products that contain this allergen to help consumers identify this change.

Products affected by this change will be on supermarket shelves from late August/early September.

For more information, you can contact Sanitarium on

Freephone: 0800 100 251
Post: Sanitarium Health Food Company

Freepost 4731
Private Bag 92127
Victoria Street West
Auckland 1142
New Zealand

www.sanitarium.co.nz/contactus

August 2021

Covid 19 Lockdown

The Allergy New Zealand team is currently working remotely and our office will be closed until further notice.

For official updates and more information about COVID-19 please refer to the Ministry of Health website health.govt.nz or covid19.govt.nz

Please take care of yourselves during this time, and adhere to Ministry of Health precautions to help keep our friends and whānau as safe as possible.

July 2021

FundaPen Update - No free Epipens left.

Did you receive a free Epipen as a result of our Fundapen initiative in 2019/20? We distributed an Epipen to just under 3,000 Kiwi families. Our thanks again to Pub Charity for their donation to make it possible, but their funding was exhausted by September 2020.

It can not be the responsibility of a charity to raise funds to briefly relieve a national health crisis, but it is our job to highlight it.

It is however, the core role of Pharmac and our Government(s) to resolve a health and safety issue that they have officially acknowledged as a funding priority for more than 15 years.

The funding of adrenaline auto-injectors has been on the Pharmac Priority Funding List for longer than any other medicine.

At the end of July, the Minister of Health acknowledged on national television (NewsHub, 6pm) that Epipen funding was a personal desire of his, and that, “it seems like something we could do”.

View the interview here - Watch this space - Minister Andrew Little

Please urge Minister Little and Pharmac to follow through.

Email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz to share your story!

31 July 2020

FundaPen™ - a national success!

Thanks to the $300,000 donation from Pub Charity last year, a total of 2875 free Epipens® have been distributed across New Zealand. The last Fundapen™ provided by this donation was distributed this week. We are incredibly grateful for this donation and the support it has provided to people with allergies at risk of anaphylaxis.

Special thanks also goes to the thousands of General Practice teams, Clinicians, Health Professionals and AllergyPharmacy.co.nz who supported this unique opportunity.

Moving forward, normal prescriber protocols will apply and patients will be required to pay for their own Epipens®. Unfortunately, we have no further funding available to continue this initiative. We invite PHARMAC, or other potential supporters, to work alongside Allergy New Zealand to help fund this life-saving medicine. For further information, contact allergy@allergy.org.nz

6 April 2020

Mylan NZ has recently updated their advice for correct handling and administration of EpiPen®. Please follow this link to the EpiClub website to download the advice notice at the top of the home page: www.epiclub.co.nz

Latest food recalls

October 2021

MPI/New Zealand Food Safety monitors food safety, including compliance with allergen management and labelling. Please check all labels when purchasing food, and also on medicines and natural health products. If you have any concerns about undeclared allergens, contact MPI Food Safety on 0800 00 83 33, or email: info@mpi.govt.nz

For a full list of food recalls, go to:

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/food-safety/food-recalls/recalled-food-products/

To receive email alerts on food recalls due to undeclared allergens, go to Subscribe to MPI | MPI | NZ Government, enter your email address and name, then go down to “Email Update Topics” and tick on “Food recalls – allergies”

Allergy Today e-newsletter

Our October 2021 issue of the Allergy Today e-newsletter is available here. If you would like to subscribe to receive future issues, click here.

See past issues:

Pollen Calendar

FREE Annual Pollen Calendar
Download your very own copy here

Nip Allergies in the Bub

See the latest advice on Allergy prevention from Australia's National Allergy Strategy here.

ATe Dec18 My story image-811

2018 Food Allergen Labelling Guide

There are now 10 food allergens which must be declared on labels, and/or information provided on food for sale. Allergy New Zealand’s 2018 Food Allergen Labelling Guide is available here.

Guide to ACC Cover for Allergic Reactions (Anaphylaxis)

January 2018
The ACC guide, developed in consultation with Allergy New Zealand and Allergy specialists, is now available online here
For more information on anaphylaxis, and advice on ACC claims, go here

Hospitality training video

27 July, 2016

Aimed at front-of-house staff, this video describes steps to take in serving a customer with food allergies.

Find more information here.

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Food Allergies - undeclared allergens

If you suspect that there is an undeclared allergen in a food, contact MPI Food Safety on 0800 00 83 33, or by email: info@mpi.govt.nz.

For more details go to MPI Food Safety here

Information on potential food allergens that must be declared on food labels or made available to you if you ask for it. See the Food Smart website here

Anaphylaxis Campaign - #takethekit

Our friends at Anaphylaxis Campaign have recently released a hard-hitting short film to alert severely allergic young people to the importance of carrying their Adrenaline Auto-Injector (AAI), the first line of treatment for anaphylaxis. Watch the video here.