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Maine CDC Health Advisory
December 24, 2020
Adverse Event Related to Vaccination with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
Nationwide distribution of the first COVID-19 vaccine started December 14, 2020. U.S. CDC has since received reports that some people have experienced severe allergic reactions -- also known as anaphylaxis -- after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. An allergic reaction is considered severe when a person needs to be treated with epinephrine or an EpiPen or if they must go to a hospital for emergent care.
On Tuesday, December 22, 2020, Maine Medical Center reported an instance of a severe allergic reaction in an individual who had just received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The individual's past medical history was significant for severe allergic reactions and eosinophilic asthma. The individual experienced nausea, diaphoresis, and a dry cough that progressed to shortness of breath. The individual received epinephrine, was transported to the Maine Medical Center ED for monitoring, and is doing well.
