US: Alaska woman has allergic reaction to COVID-19 vaccine

Health officials in Alaska reported Wednesday that a health care worker had a severe allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine within 10 minutes of receiving a shot.

U.S. health authorities warned doctors to watch for rare allergic reactions when they rolled out the first vaccine, made by Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech. Britain reported a few similar cases a week earlier. That’s why vaccine recipients are supposed to be observed after getting the shot, in case they need immediate treatment.

The Juneau health worker was following those rules Tuesday when she began feeling flushed and short of breath, said Dr. Lindy Jones, emergency room medical director at Bartlett Regional Hospital.

She was treated with epinephrine and other medicines for what officials ultimately determined was anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction. She was kept overnight but has recovered, Jones said.

Unlike the British cases, the Alaska woman had no history of allergic reactions. Jones said she remained “enthusiastic” about having taken the first dose of the vaccine. She is not expected to receive a second dose.

The state’s chief medical officer, Dr. Anne Zink, said Alaska doesn't plan to change its vaccine rollout.

“This is all kind of part of what we’ve been looking for and expecting,” she said.