Deutsche Welle (English edition)
Guillain-Barre syndrome: A sudden paralysis of the arms and legs
In perfect shape one day, flulike symptoms the next ― followed by paralysis. In rare cases, the Johnson & Johnson COVIDvaccine can trigger GuillainBarre syndrome. What is GBS and how does it affect us?
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned on July 12, 2021, that the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine can trigger GuillainBarre syndrome (GBS) in very rare cases. There have been 100 preliminary reports of GBS associated with the vaccine. Ninetyfive of them were severe and required hospitalization. One person has died from GBS. So far, a total of 12.5 million doses of the vaccine have already been administered in the United States. Therefore, the GBS cases are considered very rare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to
recommend the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
People vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson should seek immediate medical attention if they experience any of the following symptoms: tingling sensations, especially in the legs or arms, that worsen or spread to other parts of the body; difficulty walking; difficulty with facial movements, in
cluding speaking, chewing or swallowing; double vision or an inability to move the eyes; or loss of control over bladder or bowel function.
This is not the first time that vaccinations have been linked to GBS. In Peru, clinical trials of a COVID vaccine manufactured by Chinese company Sinopharm had been halted on December 12, 2020, after a patient developed GBS symptoms. And in the 1970s, there were 450 GBS cases after swine flu vaccinations.
Because GBS occurs so rarely, a clear causal link between the nerve disease and vaccination cannot usually be drawn. GBS occurs much more commonly after bacterial or viral infections. It can also be triggered by infection with SARS-CoV-2. This has presented vaccine developers with difficult dilemmas. One example: An AstraZeneca vaccine trial last year, where a similar autoimmune disease, transverse myelitis, had occurred in one case.
In 2018, DW reported on a GBS patient who became ill after receiving a hepatitis vaccine. In light of recent events, here is the report:
It began with a vaccine
Carsten Kolberg is an athletic man. As a pool attendant and life guard he was until recently easily able to swim 100 meters
in just over a minute. He is also a SCUBA diver, diving in ice-cold water to depths that are beyond the imagination of most other people.
In his profession, Kolberg needs to be immunized against infectious diseases. As a first responder at an open-air pool, he can easily come into contact with blood or feces.
"The company doctor found out that I needed to refresh my hepatitis B vaccination," Kolberg recalled. "I had this done before, and never had a problem with it."