LONDON — Health officials in the United Kingdom are looking into two reports of possible allergic reactions to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which the country began giving to some senior citizens and nursing home employees Tuesday.
According to The Associated Press, the UK’s Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency recommended “on a precautionary basis that people with a significant history of allergic reactions do not receive this vaccination” after two patients “responded adversely” to the shot, Stephen Powis, national medical director of England’s National Health Service, said in a statement Wednesday.
Powis added that the two people, who are now feeling better, have suffered “significant allergic reactions” in the past, according to the news agency. Both are NHS employees who keep adrenaline pens on hand, the BBC reported.
Such a recommendation “is common with new vaccines,” Powell said.
Severe allergy sufferers did not participate in the clinical trial, according to the news outlets.
Read more here or here.
– The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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