The Johnson & Johnson and Astra Zeneca vaccines appear to slightly increase the risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disease. Authorities emphasize that the benefits of vaccination far exceed the risks.
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Christina Berndt and Florian Flade
Some corona vaccines apparently lead in very rare cases to a side effect that has so far hardly been noticed: After vaccination with the vaccine from Johnson & Johnson (J&J, in Germany: Janssen), Guillain-Barré syndrome is somewhat more common in the USA than usual (GBS), the US FDA announced on Monday. A corresponding warning will be added to the package insert for the vaccine. GBS is an autoimmune neurological disease in which the immune system attacks the nerves, which can lead to sensory disturbances and paralysis. The disease can be severe, but most patients have mild symptoms and recover without long-term harm.