A third Alaska worker suffered an allergic reaction to the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine. Severe allergic reactions can occur with any vaccine, but are extremely rare.
The employee, one of nearly 300 people who received the vaccine Friday at Fairbanks Foundation Health Partners Memorial Hospital, said in a statement shared by the hospital that her experience should not discourage others from getting vaccinated.
“Anaphylaxis is a rare but expected side effect that can be treated and has no long-term health implications, such as COVID,” the employee, who wishes to remain anonymous, said in a statement. “I would receive the vaccine and recommend it to anyone, despite my reaction, to help our country immunize, which is necessary for the health of all Americans, for the economy, to make families embrace again, to bring back children. to schools and to put the country on the other side of this pandemic. “
She added that she had “seen firsthand the suffering and death of COVID patients” and that “the adverse reaction to the vaccine pales in what COVID infection can do to people”.
According to the hospital, the employee “showed signs of an anaphylactic reaction, with increased heartbeat, difficulty breathing and rash and redness” ten minutes after the vaccine was administered. The CDC recommends that all vaccine recipients be observed for 15 minutes after the injection and that “people with a history of anaphylaxis (for any reason)” be observed for 30 minutes. The hospital said in a statement that all its employees who receive the vaccine are observed for 15-30 minutes.
The Pfizer vaccine fact sheet from the Food and Drug Administration, given to vaccine recipients and caregivers, warns that “there is a distant chance that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will cause a severe allergic reaction.” He added that “a severe allergic reaction would usually occur within minutes to an hour after a dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.”
Dr. Mark Dykewicz, an allergy and immunology expert at St. Louis University Hospital in Missouri and a member of the FDA’s Allergy Advisory Committee, said that although severe reactions are severe, vaccines are given in places where medical staff are prepared to treat anaphylaxis. . The temporary Fairbanks vaccination clinic is equipped with an emergency anaphylaxis kit, according to the hospital.
The worker, who, according to Fairbanks, has no allergies, “received two doses of epinephrine in the Emergency Department of Fairbanks Memorial Hospital (FMH), where she remained under observation and was discharged approximately six hours after receiving the doses.” .
“Allergic reactions, although less common, can occur with injections of drugs and vaccines,” said the hospital’s chief physician, Dr. Angelique Ramirez. “That’s why our staff is trained and prepared to respond to any symptoms of anaphylaxis. Our employees are doing well and were able to go home yesterday.”
Two employees at Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau, Alaska, he also had allergic reactions – one severe, one mild – earlier in the week. Both were treated and recovered.
The employee who suffered a severe reaction also had the onset 10 minutes after the injection, according to Dr. Lindy Jones, director of the Bartlett emergency room. “She was given epinephrine and Benadryl, she was hospitalized and given an intravenous drop of epinephrine. Her reaction was severe, but it was not life-threatening.”
“Throughout the time, she was still excited to receive the vaccine and the benefits it will provide in the future,” Jones said. The hospital’s statement said it also “still encourages colleagues to receive the vaccine.”
According to the CDC, since Friday, there have been six confirmed cases of anaphylaxis after vaccination in the US. As of Saturday morning, 272,001 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine have been administered across the country, according to a CDC report on allergic reactions.
There were no anaphylaxis reactions during the Pfizer drug trial in about 22,000 people, according to the company. “Overall, no safety signs of concern have been identified in our clinical trials, including any signs of serious allergic reactions associated with the vaccine,” Pfizer said in a statement to CBS News. However, adverse event reports outside of clinical trials are a very important component of our pharmacovigilance activities and we will analyze all available information about this case and all adverse event reports after vaccination.
On Thursday, after reports of the first serious reaction, Pfizer said it “does not yet have all the details of the Alaska report of a potential serious allergic reaction,” but “is actively working with local health authorities to assess.”
“We will closely monitor all reports suggesting severe allergic reactions after vaccination and update the labeling language if necessary,” the company statement said. “Prescription information has a clear warning / caution that appropriate medical treatment and supervision should always be available in the event of a rare anaphylactic event following the administration of the vaccine.”
Dykewicz said it was “certainly remarkable that both reactions took place in the same medical unit.”
“It’s a curious discovery that deserves further investigation,” he said.