Anaphylaxis affects 0.025% of COVID-19 vaccine recipients

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2021-03-09 11:00

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US scientists looked at nearly 65,000 people who had been given either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, and say anaphylactic shock occurred in 16 recipients, or 0.025 per cent. Seven of them had received the Pfizer-BioNTech, while the other nine had received the Moderna vaccine. Just one patient required intensive care, and all recovered after treatment. Most of the vaccine recipients with anaphylaxis had allergy histories, the scientists say, but 4,000 individuals with severe food or medication allergy histories were vaccinated without experiencing any allergic effects. Milder but still acute allergic reactions were more common, affecting around 2 per cent of recipients, the researchers add.