ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) – A Fairbanks doctor suffered from anaphylactic symptoms after receiving the Pfizer Inc coronavirus vaccine, a hospital said Friday, becoming the third Alaskan health worker 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 care provider was treated with epinephrine in the hospital emergency room and released about six hours later, Foundation Health Partners said in a written statement.
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, Chief Medical Officer of the Health Partners 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 to the other side of this pandemic, ”said the health worker.
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.
Reporting by Yereth Rosen in Anchorage; Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Tom Brown