Allergic reaction following third COVID jab sends 52-year-old to hospital

A 52-year-old woman was hospitalized Friday night at Ziv Medical Center in Safed after what appears to be an allergic reaction to receiving the third dose of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, the Health Ministry reported.

She is hospitalized in the intensive care unit in serious but stable condition.

The patient is being examined to confirm the cause of her medical condition, and the Health Ministry is examining the details of the case.

According to the ministry, allergic reactions to vaccines, although rare, are familiar. Those who develop an allergic reaction to taking the Pfizer vaccine - or any other vaccine - are advised to consult their doctor before receiving any subsequent doses. 

In general, there have been few side effects from the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, including few allergic reactions.

A report published last week by Clalit Health Services showed that 88% of people who received the third shot of the coronavirus vaccine said they felt “similar” or “better” compared to how they felt in the days following receiving the second vaccine.

The health fund released a first report on the side effects of the third shot, based on data it captured from some 4,500 people over 60 out of the 240,000 of their members who received it at the time.

Some 24% reported pain at the site of injection, 6% swelling in the injection area and 1% swelling in the armpit. Another 15% of respondents said they experienced at least one systemic side effect. Some 9% reported fatigue, 6.1% feeling generally unwell, 4.3% headaches, 4.3% muscle pain, 2.1% joint pain, 1.4% fever, 0.7% vomiting or diarrhea and 0.1% rash.

Only 1% of respondents experienced any other symptoms: 0.4% reported difficulty breathing and 0.3% irregular heartbeat or chest pains. Similarly, only 1% of respondents said they sought medical treatment due to one or more of these side effects.

Clalit actively followed up with its members to solicit information about their side effects.

At the same time, the Health Ministry, which tracks passive reports of side effects, said Monday that less than 50 people out of 600,000 complained of vaccine side effects, which generally included pain at the site of injection, fever and nausea.

At this stage, around 750,000 people over the age of 60 have taken the third jab.