UK issues allergy warning on Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• The UK issued a warning to people with a ‘severe’ allergy to medicine or food to not get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
• Two health workers who were among the first to get the vaccine on Tuesday had adverse allergic reactions.
• The FDA will meet Thursday to discuss if they will authorize the emergency use of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine in the US.

In the western part of the world, the UK is the first to begin a mass-vaccination initiative against the coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc across the globe.

On Tuesday or “V-day” as per the government, had distributed and administered the first doses from the approved COVID-19 vaccine developed by US’ Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech to thousands of people roughly across 70 hospitals located in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Unfortunately, two health care workers experienced adverse allergic reactions. The following day, England’s National Health Service advised those with a “history of a significant allergic reaction to a vaccine, medicine or food,” to avoid the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

They further said in a statement that the two medical personnel who suffered anaphylactoid reactions to the vaccine have now recovered after some treatment. Additionally, they have a “strong past history of allergic reactions,” which may be the cause of the initial reaction.

NHS England National Medical Director, Professor Stephen Powis shared in a statement that, “As is common with new vaccines the MHRA have advised on a precautionary basis that people with a significant history of allergic reactions do not receive this vaccination after two people with a history of significant allergic reactions responded adversely yesterday.”

Based on Phase 3 human trials which showed the Pfizer vaccine to be highly effective and more importantly safe, the MHRA which is the UK’s independent drug regulator approved it for distribution. So far, no other reports of severe allergic reactions or otherwise to the vaccine distributed on “V-day”.

Currently, US pharma giant Pfizer, US biotech Moderna, and Oxford University with AstraZeneca are all waiting on the US Food and Drug Administration for Emergency Use Authorization for their respective vaccines.

Source: CBS News