Alaska doctor is the THIRD in the state to have an allergic reaction to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine this week
- A doctor from Fairbanks, Alaska developed anaphylactic symptoms 10 minutes after receiving a shot from Pfizer
- The worker was treated with epinephrine and released from the hospital about six hours later
- She said she would still ‘recommend it to everyone, despite my response, to help immunize our country’
- Two health workers in Juneau received reactions when they received the injection earlier this week
A Fairbanks doctor suffered anaphylactic symptoms after receiving the Pfizer Inc coronavirus vaccine, a hospital said Friday, making it the third health worker in Alaska to receive an adverse reaction to the new drug.
The doctor, whose name was not released, began showing symptoms about 10 minutes after he was vaccinated on Thursday, according to Foundation Health Partners, operator of Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.
The health worker was treated with epinephrine in the hospital emergency room and released about six hours later, Foundation Health Partners said in a written statement.
An Alaskan doctor is the third in the state this week to receive a side effect from Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine
The doctor worked at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital
The health worker still recommends the injection, which was administered in Arizona on Dec. 18, despite her negative response
Two health workers in Juneau suffered side effects to the medication earlier this week. One was briefly hospitalized in that city for anaphylaxis after being vaccinated on Tuesday. The second responded more mildly on Wednesday and was treated and released in the hospital emergency room.
“Allergic reactions, while uncommon, can occur with injections of drugs and vaccines,” said Dr. Angelique Ramirez, Foundation Health Partners Chief Medical Officer in the statement.
The Fairbanks physician has issued her own statement which is included in the Foundation Health Partners release.
“ I would get the vaccine and recommend it to everyone, despite my response, to help immunize our country, which is necessary for the health of all Americans, for the economy, to get families back to hug, to get kids back to school , and to bring the country on the other side of this pandemic, ”the health worker said.
Alaska received its first shipments of the Pfizer vaccine Sunday night, state officials said. Batches have been sent through the state, including by seaplane and boat to more remote locations.