Canada Approves Pfizer Vaccine while United Kingdom Reports Allergic Reactions
According to the Associated Press, the Canadian Health Regulator has approved the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer. The country “is set receive up to 249,000 doses this month and Canadian officials expect to administer them within days.” (Rob Gillies, Associated Press)
This news came just one day after the United Kingdom began vaccinating citizens with the same vaccine, which TIME reports has resulted in a new warning by the chief of the U.K.’s medicines regulator. He reports two patients, both members of the National Health System and both having a history of severe allergic reactions, developed anaphylactic reactions after receiving the new vaccine.
Time further reports that “A summary of the regulator’s advice, seen by TIME, says that any person with a history of significant allergic reactions to vaccines, medicine or food should not receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. It also says that vaccinations should only be carried out in places where resuscitation facilities are available. (Billy Perrigo, TIME).