UK authorities issue allergy warning for Covid-19 vaccine

London: People with significant allergic reactions should not receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, the UK health authorities warned Wednesday.

The advice came after two National Health Service staff members experienced allergic reactions after receiving a shot, reports say.

The precautionary advice was issued by the country's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)

The MHRA's advisory said any person with a significant allergic reaction to a vaccine, medicine or food, such as previous history of anaphylactoid reaction, or those who have been advised to carry an adrenaline autoinjector, should not receive the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine, CNN reported.

It added that vaccines "should only be carried out in facilities where resuscitation measures are available".

"We are fully investigating the two reports that have been reported to us as a matter of priority," an MHRA spokesperson said.

"Once all the information has been reviewed we will communicate updated advice."

Meanwhile, Stephen Powis, the national medical director for NHS England, said in a statement on Wednesday: "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," Powis added

The Covid-19 vaccine, developed jointly by German company BioNTech and its American partner Pfizer, has been given approval for use by the UK.

Vaccination started on Tuesday.

Reacting to the development, Pfizer that it had been advised by the UK regulator of "two yellow card reports that may be associated with allergic reaction" due to administration of the vaccine, adding that it was "supporting the MHRA in the investigation".

IANS report with edits