UK issues 'allergy warning' over Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine after two reported cases
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Britain has received some 800,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the first batch and is set to get 40 million more with over four million doses expected by the end of December.
After two British health officials suffered allergic reaction as they were administered with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, UK health department on Wednesday issued a warning cautioning people not to take the jab if they have a history of allergic reactions.
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The National Health Service(NHS) England medical director Stephen Powis said both patients were recovering after being treated.
"People with a significant history of allergic reactions do not receive this vaccination as a precaution, significant allergic reactions include those to medicines, food or vaccines," UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said.
Britain started the coronavirus vaccination drive on Tuesday starting mainly with elderly people including NHS workers. Margaret Keenan, 91, was the first to receive the vaccine in the UK as Britain called it "V-Day", taking up the World War II victory slogan.
Britain has received some 800,000 doses of the vaccine in the first batch and is set to get 40 million more with over four million doses expected by the end of December. The dose consists of two jabs 21 days apart.
UK has been hit hardest with the virus in Europe with over 62,000 fatalities and 1.75 million cases.
The US Food and Drug Administration(FDA) on Tuesday had said the Pfizer-BioTech vaccine showed "no specific safety concerns" while adding that it had "a favourable safety profile, with no specific safety concerns identified."
US health officials are set to begin deliberations on Pfizer's vaccine today as the country battles with the virus. The United States is the worst-hit country with the virus with over 15 million coronavirus cases and over 286,300 deaths.