Two people have suffered a reaction to the Pfizer vaccine for Covid-19 after getting their first dose On Tuesday 8 December.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has warned the NHS trusts not to give the vaccine to people who have a history of “significant” allergic reactions to medicines, food, or vaccines.
This comes after two NHS staff members who were administered the vaccine on the first day experienced an allergic reaction, NHS England confirmed.
From Wednesday 9 December, everyone who will receive the vaccine will be asked about their past allergic reactions, if any.
The MHRA states: “Any person with a history of a significant allergic reaction to a vaccine, medicine or food (such as the previous history of anaphylactoid reaction or those who have been advised to carry an adrenaline autoinjector) should not receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.”
“Resuscitation facilities should be available at all times for all vaccinations. Vaccination should only be carried out in facilities where resuscitation measures are available.”
National medical director Stephen Powis for the NHS England said according to BBC: “The MHRA has 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.”
“Both are recovering well.”
When will I be fully immunised?
Photo by Sam Tabahriti
GPs are getting ready
The NHS has announced that GP surgeries will be part of the mass vaccination programme from next week onwards.
200 GP surgeries will initially receive the vaccine before Tuesday 15 December, to allow them to start then. The over-80s will be prioritised.
Local areas will all have a designated area, with doses to be delivered to more than 1,000 surgeries, BBC reports.
Words: Sam Tabahriti | Subbing: Ashvin Sivakumar