UK’s worrying warning after vaccinated health workers suffer reaction

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has only just begun to be rolled out across the UK, but health regulators are already warning people with a significant history of serious allergic reactions to not get the new Covid-19 vaccine. It comes after two NHS workers suffered allergic reactions.

It’s been widely reported that after receiving the jab on Tuesday, the two staff members had an anaphylactoid reaction, which tends to involve a skin rash, vomiting and difficulty breathing but is not 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 in a statement obtained by 7News that both workers were on the mend and that this type of reaction was fairly typical.

“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,” he said. “Both are recovering well.”

The MHRA is now looking into whether the reactions were linked to the shot.

Meanwhile, Pfizer UK said in a statement that it had been advised by the UK regulator “of two yellow card reports that may be associated with allergic reaction due to administration of the Covid-19 BNT162b2 vaccine”.

“As a precautionary measure, the MHRA has issued temporary guidance to the NHS while it conducts an investigation in order to fully understand each case and its causes,” the statement said, 7News reports. “Pfizer and BioNTech are supporting the MHRA in the investigation.”

It comes a week after Australia’s Health Minister Greg Hunt confirmed that the country is on track to roll out its first vaccinations in March 2021. Speaking at a press conference last Thursday, December 3, Hunt said the first Australians to be vaccinated against the coronavirus will be health workers and aged care residents.

The Australian Government has signed on for five vaccine programs. These include vaccines from Pfizer, University of Queensland, University of Oxford, Novavax and the International Covax Facility. Australia has secured 10 million units of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, 51 million of the University of Queensland/CSL vaccine, 30 million of the University of Oxford/CSL vaccine, 40 million of the Novavax vaccine, and more than 25 million units of the newly-approved International Covax Facility vaccine.