

It has been reported by approximately 0.001% of individuals who have been vaccinated in the U.S.Īn ingredient found in mRNA vaccines that is of particular concern regarding allergic reactions is a chemical called polyethylene glycol (PEG). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that anaphylaxis is extremely rare.

Symptoms of severe reactions, or anaphylaxis, are listed in the vaccine fact sheet as: The presence of the protein antigen in the body triggers the immune system to produce antibodies, which prepares the body to fight against future infection by the virus itself.Īlthough rare, individuals may experience mild-to-severe allergic reactions to ingredients in the vaccine. This mRNA vaccine works by providing the body with a set of instructions for creating the spike protein found on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. More recently, the FDA published a press release outlining their plans to include the Pfizer and Moderna shots in booster campaigns in fall, 2021.

The vaccine is currently approved in 90 countries. In December 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and World Health Organization (WHO) authorized the vaccine for emergency use in individuals aged 16 years and older, making it the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive emergency use authorization by either organization. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, named BNT162b2, and known as Comirnaty in the European Union, is a two-dose mRNA vaccine developed by two pharmaceutical industry companies: Pfizer in the United States and BioNTech in Germany. This article will use the terms “male” and “female” to refer to a person’s sex assigned at birth.
