U.K. advises people with 'significant history' of allergic reactions to skip Pfizer vaccine for now

A day after Britain began its historic COVID-19 vaccination drive, U.K. regulators reported Wednesday that two National Health Service workers given the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine had experienced allergic reactions and advised other Britons with a "significant history" of allergic reactions to hold off on getting inoculated until they finish investigating the adverse responses. Neither NHS worker was identified, but both carry EpiPen-type adrenaline injectors with them, suggesting they have suffered severe reactions to other allergens.

"As is common with new vaccines, the MHRA [Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency] have advised on a precautionary basis that people with a significant history of allergic reactions do not receive this vaccination, after two people with a history of significant allergic reactions responded adversely yesterday," said Stephen Powis, the NHS national medical director in England. "Both are recovering well." The Economist's Natasha Loder noted that Pfizer had found a tiny number of allergic reactions in its large clinical trial.

The pamphlet given to people seeking the Pfizer vaccine suggests it should be given to people allergic to any of the substances in the vaccine, adding that "signs of an allergic reaction may include itchy skin rash, shortness of breath and swelling of the face or tongue."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up