WASHINGTON: Nearly 4,400 side effects were reported after people received the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine in the US, with 21 cases to be determined anaphylaxis, according to a report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The United States Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization on December 11, 2020 for the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, administered as two doses separated by 21 days, Xinhua news agency reports.
As of December 23, 2020, a total of 1,893,360 first doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in the US, according to the CDC report.
Reports of 4,393 adverse events were submitted to the country’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.
Of these, 175 case reports were identified for further evaluation as possible cases of severe allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis.
Twenty-one cases were found to be anaphylaxis, including 17 in individuals with a documented history of allergies or allergic reactions, seven of whom had a history of anaphylaxis, according to the CDC.
Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that rarely occurs after vaccination and usually starts within minutes to hours, the CDC said.
Sites administering Covid-19 vaccines must adhere to CDC guidelines for use of the injection, including screening recipients for contraindications and precautions, have the necessary equipment available to treat anaphylaxis, the recommended observation periods after implement vaccination and treat suspected cases of anaphylaxis immediately with intramuscular injection of epinephrine, the CDC said.