Pfizer Vaccine Side-Effects: Alaska Health Workers Experience Allergies After 10 Minutes

Earlier this week, the mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine from Pfizer and BioNtech is remembered to be shipped from the pharmaceutical giant's Michigan warehouse to different parts of America. 

Numerous healthcare providers and states are preparing for the immunization that will happen among their constituents. 

Although the Pfizer vaccine promises 95% efficacy from their interim results making the United States Food and Drug Administration give their okay and Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to the said medication for the notorious respiratory disease on December 11.  

However, the 54-page analysis of the federal agency comprises the known risks and side effects the medication may be able to cause the patient. 

Alongside the triumph the immunization is reaching, CBS News reports Alaskan healthcare workers to suffer from allergic reactions after taking Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine. 

ALSO READ: Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Shows New Results of 95% Effectiveness Against Coronavirus

Allergic Reaction on Healthcare workers

(Photo : Win McNamee)
Kate Pasternak, a frontline medical worker, receives the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 at the Virginia Hospital Center on December 16, 2020 in Arlington, Virginia. More than 1,950 of the hospital’s employees will be vaccinated over the next 4 days as the COVID-19 vaccine begins widespread distribution in the United States this week.

Warded in Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau, Alaska, NBC News states that the healthcare worker had to be in the hospital overnight because of what happened. 

Meanwhile, The Washington Post notes that the federal officials praise the hospital where the patient was admitted to, saying they are following the monitoring guidelines and catching the woman's reaction, and giving her treatment punctually. 

In an interview with CBS News, the emergency room director from Bartlett, Dr. Lindy Jones notes that the patient was able to experience signs of anaphylactic reaction alongside an increased heartbeat, skin rash, redness, and shortness of breath. 

NBC News mentions a media briefing wherein health officials state that the middle-aged woman had no history of allergies and never experienced anaphylaxis or a severe lethal allergic reaction. Dr. Jones adds in an interview with NBC that the patient was moved to the hospital's Intensive Care Unit stating that the woman does not necessarily need ICU resources but as a small hospital, patients who need greater attention are being endorsed in the facility.

CBS adds another healthcare worker that was able to experience allergic reactions. Bartlett Hospital shares with CBS that the second patient did not experience anaphylaxis and he was released because he went back to normal state after an hour. 

READ ALSO: Experts to CDC: Warn the People on the Side Effects COVID Vaccine Shots Have

Expert's Views

CBS News mentions Dr. Anthony Fauci's interview with CNBC, reminding the people that vaccine safety goes beyond the clinical trials. He adds that once the vaccine is agreed to be dispensed widely, the greater number of the vaccine doses is taken into consideration. He points out that this difference will cause reactions that are not seen in the clinical trials. 

Pediatrician expert on vaccines from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Paul Offit, MD points out in an interview with The Washington Post that what they need to do is figure out what component of the vaccine is causing the side effect. He also adds in the interview that it is very important for vaccine takers to stick around the facility for 15 minutes in case the vaccine taker has an allergic reaction to be medicated by healthcare experts since hypersensitivity and severe allergic reactions can happen after taking a vaccine. 

Although the healthcare worker who experienced a severe allergic reaction was admitted after 10 minutes of her vaccination, NBC News notes that she was enthusiastic about getting the vaccine and encouraged the professionals to continue vaccinating the nation. 

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