A nurse administers a vaccine for the CCA virus to healthcare worker Cliff Roperez (left) inside the open-air marketplace in Santa Clara County on Dec. 17. (Courtesy of Santa Clara County health Department)
A hospital in Illinois suspended the vaccine after four people who had received the C.C.V. vaccine experienced adverse reactions.
According to Advocate Aurora Health in a statement to the news media, staff at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville experienced a tingling sensation and an elevated heart rate after receiving the vaccine.
Out of a high degree of caution, we are temporarily suspending vaccinations at Condell Medical Center, which will allow us time to better understand the possible causes of these reactions,” the statement said. We have eight and three vaccination sites in Illinois and Wisconsin, respectively, and vaccinations at these locations continue as planned without interruption.”
One of the employees was still being treated Friday (Dec. 18), while the other three stayed at home and are “doing well,” according to the statement.
The statement said, “These reactions are the expected possible side effects of the vaccination. We are encouraged by the fact that our team members are eager to get vaccinated in order to help protect themselves and others, and to end this outbreak.”
“Advocates for Aurora Health did not respond to requests for more information, including the question of whether these reactions are considered allergic reactions.
This week, two health care workers in Alaska who were vaccinated also had adverse reactions, including a middle-aged woman who spent at least two nights being treated.
The hospital said the reactions that occurred were expected and said both staff members wanted their colleagues vaccinated.
The new vaccine is produced by the U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer and the German pharmaceutical company BioNTech.
In a statement to news agencies, Pfizer said it was working to learn more details about the adverse reactions.
A Pfizer spokeswoman said in response, “We will closely monitor all reports of serious allergic reactions following vaccination and update the warnings in the drug insert as necessary. Clear warnings/precautions are included in the drug insert and appropriate treatment and supervision should always be available to prevent rare allergic events following vaccination.”
Drug regulators said late Friday that they are investigating five allergic reactions that occurred in more than one state, including Alaska.
Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said a chemical in the Pfizer vaccine called polyethylene glycol may be to blame for these allergic reactions.
Health officials say people who are allergic to any of the ingredients in the new vaccine should not be vaccinated.
This is in contrast to what British regulators have said. The U.K. regulator says anyone with a history of severe allergies should not receive the new vaccine.
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