Two NHS staff members who received the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on Tuesday – on the first day of the mass vaccination programme – suffered an allergic reaction, the NHS in England has confirmed.
Both are recovering, it is understood.
The NHS in England said all trusts involved with the vaccination programme have been informed.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has given precautionary advice to NHS trusts that anyone who has a history of “significant” allergic reactions to medicines, food or vaccines should not receive the vaccine.
Professor Stephen Powis, national medical director for the NHS in England, said: “As is common with new vaccines the MHRA 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. Both are recovering well.”
Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which approved the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, said regulators in the US are looking to conclude their review of the vaccine shortly.
“It is my understanding that the Food and Drug Administration will be looking this week to conclude their review, and the European Medicines Agency fairly shortly thereafter,” she told the Commons Science and Technology Committee.
