Maine Medical Center worker had anaphylactic reaction to COVID-19 vaccine

A health worker at Maine Medical Center experienced an anaphylactic reaction after receiving the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah said the worker experienced discomfort about 20 minutes after getting the shot.

“When those signs and symptoms became concerning, the individual was given appropriate medical care and treatment. The appropriate systems were put into place to both spot that, manage it, and treat it,” he said.

Shah said reactions to the Pfizer vaccine are not unheard of. But they have been rare among the 800,000 doses administered across the U.S.

This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.