US nurse faints on live broadcast after receiving Covid-19 vaccine

A nurse in the US passed out during a press conference on Thursday (Dec 17), shortly after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine that has been authorised for use by the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).

However, she later clarified that she has a pre-existing condition that causes her to feel faint when she feels even slight pain.

Nurse manager Tiffany Dover was speaking to reporters in Tennessee after being one of the first staff to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine when she suddenly collapsed. 

She was seen appearing disoriented after speaking and rubbed the side of her head before slumping to the ground.

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/40397252103/videos/1024667824713083/[/embed]

She later told WTVC-TV NewsChannel 9: "It just hit me all of the sudden, I could feel it coming on. I felt a little disoriented but I feel fine now, and the pain in my arm is gone."

In another interview, she explained that she has a history of "having an over-reactive vagal response", "and so with that if I have pain from anything, hangnail or if I stub my toe, I can just pass out."

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOH7XLHl2mo[/embed]

Dover was among five healthcare workers at the CHI Memorial hospital administered with the vaccine. The other healthcare workers reported that the process went off without incident.

A spokeswoman from the hospital confirmed to Reuters that the nurse "quickly recovered" after the incident.

Reuters Fact Check has debunked a message circulating on social media stating that the video is evidence that the vaccine "will lead to mass genocide".

[[nid:513241]]

Reuters has also called out false information circulating on social media that hundreds of volunteers have died following a clinical trial of Covid-19 vaccines.

According to the FDA, the most commonly reported side effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine are pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, and fever.

Some people have reportedly suffered allergic reactions after getting the vaccine. As a result, the FDA has advised that while the vaccine is safe for those with allergies, those who have previously had severe allergic reactions to vaccines or ingredients in this particular vaccine should avoid getting the shot.

In Singapore, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been approved by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), with the first batch expected to arrive here by the end of December.

candicecai@asiaone.com