A third health worker in Alaska has had an allergic reaction to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Serious allergic reactions can occur with any vaccine, but these are extremely rare.
The employee, one of nearly 300 who received the vaccine Friday at Foundation Health Partners Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, said in a statement shared by the hospital that her experience should not deter others from getting vaccinated.
“Anaphylaxis is a rare but anticipated potential side effect that is treatable and has no long-term health implications like COVID,” said the associate, who wishes to remain anonymous, in the statement. “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. “
She added that she has “seen firsthand the suffering and death of COVID patients” and that her “negative reaction to the vaccine pales in comparison to what COVID infection can do to people.”
According to the hospital, the worker showed “signs of an anaphylactic reaction, with increased heart rate, shortness of breath and rash and redness” ten minutes after receiving the vaccine. The CDC recommends that all vaccine recipients be observed for 15 minutes after injection and that “individuals with anaphylaxis in the anaphylaxis (from any cause)” be observed for 30 minutes. The hospital said in its statement that all of its employees who receive the vaccine will be observed for 15 to 30 minutes.
The Food and Drug Administration’s Pfizer vaccine fact sheet, which is given to recipients and caregivers of the vaccine, warns that “there is a small chance that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine could cause a serious allergic reaction. ” And adds that “a severe allergic reaction would usually occur within minutes to an hour after the administration of a dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.”
Dr. Mark Dykewicz, an allergy and immunology expert at Saint Louis University Hospital in Missouri and a member of the FDA’s Advisory Committee on Allergen Products, said that while severe reactions are serious, vaccines are given in settings where medical personnel are ready to treat anaphylaxis. to treat . According to the hospital, the Fairbanks temporary vaccination clinic is equipped with an emergency anaphylaxis kit.
The charwoman, who Fairbanks says has no allergies, “received two doses of epinephrine in the accident and emergency department of Fairbanks Memorial Hospital (FMH), where she remained under observation and was discharged approximately six hours after receiving the doses.”
“Allergic reactions, while uncommon, can occur with injections of drugs and vaccines,” said Dr. Angelique Ramirez, the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer. “That is why our employees are trained and prepared to respond to any symptoms of anaphylaxis. Our employee is doing well and was able to go home yesterday.”
Two employees at Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau, Alaska, also experienced allergic reactions – one severe, one mild – earlier in the week. Both were treated and restored.
According to Dr. Lindy Jones, Bartlett’s director of emergency care, the worker who suffered a severe reaction also started 10 minutes after the injection. “She was given epinephrine and Benadryl, was hospitalized, and given an intravenous infusion of epinephrine. Her reaction was severe but not life-threatening.”
“Throughout the time, she was still excited about getting the vaccine and the benefits it would bring her in the future,” Jones said. The hospital’s statement said she also “continued to encourage her colleagues to get the vaccine.”
According to the CDC, as of Friday, there were six confirmed cases of post-vaccination anaphylaxis in the US. As of Saturday morning, 272,001 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine had been given nationwide, according to a CDC report on the allergic reactions.
According to the company, there were no anaphylaxis reactions during Pfizer’s trial of the drug in about 22,000 people. “Overall, no safety signs of concern were identified in our clinical studies, including no sign of serious allergic reactions related to the vaccine,” Pfizer said in a statement to CBS News. “However, reports of adverse reactions outside of clinical studies are a very important part of our pharmacovigilance activities and we will review all available information on this case and all reports of adverse reactions following vaccination.”
On Thursday, after reports of the first serious reaction, Pfizer said it “did not yet have full details of the Alaska report of a possible serious allergic reaction,” but “was actively working with local health authorities to assess this.”
“We will closely monitor all reports of serious allergic reactions following vaccination and update the language of the labeling as necessary,” the company said. “The prescribing information contains a clear warning / precaution that appropriate medical treatment and supervision should always be readily available in the event of a rare anaphylactic event following vaccine administration.”
Dykewicz said it is “certainly remarkable that both reactions took place in the same medical facility.”
“It’s a curious finding that deserves further investigation,” he said.