Allergy warning over new jab
People with a history of significant allergic reactions should not have the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid jab, regulators say.
It came after two NHS workers had allergic reactions on Tuesday.
The advice applies to those who have had reactions to medicines, food or vaccines, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said.
The two people had a reaction shortly after having the new jab, had treatment and are both fine now.
They are understood to have had an anaphylactoid reaction, which tends to involve a skin rash, breathlessness and sometimes a drop in blood pressure. This is not the same as anaphylaxis which can be fatal.
Both NHS workers have a history of serious allergies and carry adrenaline pens around with them.
Professor Stephen Powis, medical director for the NHS in England, said both individuals were recovering well.
He said this was "common with new vaccines", describing it as a precautionary measure.
Dr June Raine, head of the MHRA, said it was only right to take this step now that "we've had this experience".
Reactions like this are uncommon, but do happen with other vaccines, including the annual flu jab.
Six people died in Pfizer’s late-stage trial of the COVID-19 vaccine, the US Food and Drug Administration has revealed just hours after Britain became the first country in the world to roll out the vaccine.
rebbonk wrote:The BBC are stressing that this only affects people with serious allergies.
dutchman wrote:If vaccinating nonagenarians is so important, how come the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh weren't the first to be vaccinated?
It's a rhetorical question of course because their advisers will undoubtedly have told them there's a considerable risk of them dying after taking it and they are "far too important" to be allowed to take the chance. (Unlike people in care homes who are a 'drain on society' and thus 'expendable').
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