Warning Given After Two UK Health Workers Had Allergic Reactions From Pfizer/BioNTech Vaccine

• They have a history of allergic reactions and carried an adrenaline auto injector.
• Both workers are recovering well.
• The agency also advised that the vaccination “should only be carried out in facilities where resuscitation measures are available.”

Health authorities in the UK advised people with “significant history of allergic reactions” not to take the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine. This warning came after two health workers had adverse reactions after getting the jab.

The health workers are among those who got their shots on the first day of mass vaccination in the UK. The National Health Service reported that the two staff members developed symptoms ofanaphylactoid reaction after getting injected.

They both had a history of allergic reactions and carried an adrenaline auto injector. Stephen Powis, the national medical director for NHS England, said that both workers are recovering well.

“As is common with new vaccines the MHRA [Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency] 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.”

The incident prompted the MHRA to issue an advisory stating that anyone with a history of allergic reactions to food, medicine, or vaccines, should not receive the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine.

The advisory also states that the vaccination “should only be carried out in facilities where resuscitation measures are available.”

A spokesperson for the agency said that they are fully investigating the incident.

Peter Openshaw, an expert in immunology at Imperial College London, said: “The fact that we know so soon about these two allergic reactions and that the regulator has acted on this to issue precautionary advice shows that this monitoring system is working well.”

Pfizer also gave a statement, saying that they have been advised of “two yellow card reports that may be associated with allergic reaction.” Pfizer and BioNTech have given their full support in the MHRA’s investigation.

“In the pivotal phase 3 clinical trial, this vaccine was generally well tolerated with no serious safety concerns reported by the independent Data Monitoring Committee. The trial has enrolled over 44,000 participants to date, over 42,000 of whom have received a second vaccination.”

According to documents from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the trial data from Pfizer/BioNTech indicated that at 0.63% compared with 0.51%, there were more allergic reactions among the vaccine group than the placebo group.