Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine may result in more allergic reactions than expected when compared to other vaccines, although it is still rare, said Operation Warp Speed’s chief scientific adviser, Dr. Moncef Slaoui, during a recent interview.
The doctor told CNN on Wednesday that the frequency of allergic reactions “is higher than would be expected with other vaccines”, although he knew of only six cases by Tuesday, of more than one million vaccines administered.
Other experts say the vaccine is safe for most people, even those who have mild allergies.
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“You saw a lot of publicity about some cases of severe allergy,” Fox News medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel told Fox & Friends on Monday. “For the vast majority of people, and I mean millions, there is no concern.”
The Food and Drug Administration said last week that it was investigating at least five cases in which recipients reacted adversely to the vaccine, Reuters reported on Friday.
Dr. Peter Marks, director of the Center for Biological Research and Evaluation at the Food and Drug Administration, said it could be linked to the chemical polyethylene glycol, which is an ingredient used in Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that most Americans with allergies should receive the vaccine – unless they have had severe reactions to other vaccines or ingredients used in COVID-19 inoculations before.
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“If you have had a severe allergic reaction to other vaccines or injectable therapies, you should ask your doctor if you should get the COVID-19 vaccine,” says the CDC. “Your doctor will help you decide whether it is safe for you to be vaccinated.”
CDC guidelines also advise to monitor vaccine recipients for 15 minutes to ensure that they do not experience an allergic reaction, and vaccine suppliers should have treatments available if an allergic reaction occurs.