Josie Gibson got into a Twitter spat on Thursday after she was accused of spreading ‘dangerous misinformation’ abut Pfizer/BioNTech’s breakthrough coronavirus vaccine.
The This Morning presenter, 35, shared an article exploring reports that two NHS staff suffered an ‘anaphylactoid reaction’ just after being immunised on Tuesday.
Within 24 hours of the biggest-ever mass vaccination programme in British history, the UK’s drug regulator has now told anyone with a serious allergy to medicines or food not to have the jab.
Twitter spat: Josie Gibson got into a Twitter spat on Thursday after she was accused of spreading ‘dangerous misinformation’ abut Pfizer/BioNTech’s breakthrough coronavirus vaccine (pictured in October)
Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Josie re-tweeted an article which explored what could have caused the ‘anaphylactoid reaction’ and questioned whether people with severe allergic reactions were ‘excluded’ from the clinical trials.
Josie tweeted: ‘I’m actually concerned they missed groups of people out in Trials. Deliberate maybe ££££? Thank you For sharing.’
Yet the presenter was quickly called out by a few of her 337.6K followers who accused her of spreading ‘dangerous misinformation’ abut the vaccine.
One person wrote: ‘Please Josie dont get drawn into the anti vax spreading movement. It’s important that we get fully informed consent to help us decide.
Reports: Within 24 hours of the biggest-ever mass vaccination programme in British history, the UK’s drug regulator has now told anyone with a serious allergy to medicines or food not to have the jab (pictured, the vaccine being administered in Glasgow on Tuesday)
‘But this sort of thing will put people off having it. As soon as these two adverse reactions happened it was announced and advisory given.’
To which Josie replied with: ‘Have you read the article? I think it was really informative and I think we should know about what we put into our body.
‘That’s not just vaccines but food also. I’ve researched all the vaccines I gave my little one before making my decision. Why anyone wouldn’t is beyond me.’
While another person hit back at Josie’s tweet and wrote: ‘This is absolute nonsense Josie, and it’s dangerous to share this kind of misinformation. Question and research it by all means, but don’t spread utter c**p, it’s not on.’
Twitter: The This Morning presenter, 35, shared an article exploring reports that two NHS staff suffered an ‘anaphylactoid reaction’ just after being immunised on Tuesday as it questioned whether people with severe allergic reactions were ‘excluded’ from the clinical trials
Called out: Yet the presenter was quickly called out by a few of her 337.6K followers who accused her of spreading ‘dangerous misinformation’ abut the vaccine
To which Josie replied back with: ‘You haven’t read the article have you?’ with the critic firing back with: ‘Yes Josie I have. Have you?’
With Josie responding once again and adding: ‘Yes all of it I was just wondering which bit you found as misinformation?’
To which the Twitter use responded with: ‘The article isn’t misinformation, your tweet is. You seriously think they have deliberately missed out large groups in testing for £?’
Josie also insisted that she is not an ‘anti vaxer’ but that she just feels ‘incredibly cautious’.
Anger: One person wrote: This is absolute nonsense Josie, and it’s dangerous to share this kind of misinformation. Question and research it by all means, but don’t spread utter c**p, it’s not on.’
To which Josie replied back with: ‘You haven’t read the article have you?’ with the critic firing back with: ‘Yes Josie I have. Have you?’
With Josie responding once again and adding: ‘Yes all of it I was just wondering which bit you found as misinformation?’ to which the Twitter use responded with: ‘The article isn’t misinformation, your tweet is.’
‘I am not an anti vaxer!’: Josie also insisted that she is not an ‘anti vaxer’ but that she just feels ‘incredibly cautious’
Earlier this week, British scientists attempted to quash public panic about the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine following reports that two NHS staff suffered an ‘anaphylactoid reaction’ just after being immunised.
Within 24 hours of the biggest-ever mass vaccination programme in British history, the UK’s drug regulator told anyone with a serious allergy to medicines or food not to have the much-vaunted jab.
The number of people set to be barred is not known, though up to seven million people in the country have allergies severe enough to require medical care, according to the NHS – while around 250,000 people need to carry an EpiPen at all times.
Both the unnamed healthcare workers needed immediate treatment but are ‘recovering well’ after they developed symptoms shortly after receiving the jab. It is not known if either person needed to use the EpiPens they both carry with them at all times.
They suffered an ‘anaphylactoid reaction’ to the vaccine, which is milder than anaphylaxis, and tends to involve a rash, shortness of breath, swelling of the face and tongue or a drop in blood pressure, the NHS says.
News: Earlier this week, British scientists attempted to quash public panic about the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine following reports that two NHS staff suffered an ‘anaphylactoid reaction’ just after being immunised (Josie pictured in October)
Despite the two allergy cases the Government is continuing to vaccinate between 5,000 and 7,000 people per day across the UK with 800,000 Pfizer doses already in hospitals and millions more on the way.
Yesterday the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) – which authorised emergency use of the vaccine at a breathtaking speed – gave precautionary advice to all 50 NHS trusts now vaccinating the population.
They said that anyone who has a history of ‘significant’ allergic reactions to medicines or food should not receive the vaccine.
Elsewhere, pregnant women will not be offered Pfizer’s breakthrough coronavirus vaccine due to a lack of evidence, experts have said.
And they will not be among the first to receive Oxford’s or Moderna’s either, if they are approved, because no mothers-to-be were included in clinical trials.
Rolling out: Despite the two allergy cases the Government is continuing to vaccinate between 5,000 and 7,000 people per day across the UK with 800,000 Pfizer doses already in hospitals and millions more on the way (pictured: care home staff receive jab in Belfast)
The UK Government has issued guidelines making it clear pregnant women should not be inoculated until after they’ve given birth.
Women who think they might be pregnant are urged to delay vaccination until they are certain they are not, and those trying for a baby should not be immunised either.
However, the measure is purely precautionary and it is not uncommon to exclude some groups from taking brand new vaccines.
Pfizer’s vaccine sailed through approval from Britain’s medical watchdog last week with a good safety rating and no evidence to suggest pregnant women are at risk.
But scientists behind the jab haven’t tested it on pregnant or breastfeeding women so there is no concrete evidence showing it would be safe and effective.
Scientists have to do extra rigorous lab testing before they can trial a vaccine in pregnant women because the possible ramifications of it going wrong are worse. This was not able to be completed in the short time frames in which coronavirus vaccines have been developed.
British scientists called for calm earlier this week as public fears of the alleged dangers of the new vaccine – which is said to have an 95 per cent efficacy against infection – threaten to derail the NHS’ mass inoculation programme in the latest stage of the pandemic.
Professor Graham Ogg of Oxford University urged calm, saying: ‘It will be important to now understand the specific nature of the reactions and the background medical history of the individuals affected so that any risks of reactions can be more closely defined.
‘Staff are always prepared for the possibility of reactions and as with all medications, will continue to submit reports of any further episodes. In the meantime, reasonable precautions have been advised by the MHRA.’
Dr Andrew Garrett, Executive Vice President of Scientific Operations at ICON, pointed out: ‘The large clinical trial used to support vaccine approval by the MHRA excluded those with a ‘History of severe adverse reaction associated with a vaccine and/or severe allergic reaction (e.g. anaphylaxis) to any component of the study intervention(s)’.
‘The resulting UK patient leaflet stated that the vaccine should not be given to individuals who are allergic to the active substance or any of the other listed ingredients.
‘In this respect the patient information was similar to the clinical trial exclusion criterion, and the approved vaccine labelling will have reflected the data received and reviewed by the MHRA to date.
‘As more data accumulate from both clinical trials and clinical practice then one naturally expects the safety profile to be updated and refined, as with any medicine.
‘The MHRA has moved quickly today to strengthen their direction on the basis of two allergic reactions in individuals with a history of allergic reactions – that is, to exclude individuals with a significant history of allergic reactions moving forward.’
He added: ‘Tuesday was a welcome cause for celebration, and there was an enthusiastic response from those vaccinated.
‘Labelling may well expand in the future, but it would be wise to be cautious in these early days to avoid undermining public confidence – particularly given the vaccine is in limited supply. Careful questioning of those about to receive the vaccine is in order.’
In the US vaccine trial carried out by Pfizer, 137 out of around 19,000 people given the vaccine had one or more of these reactions. But 111 who got the placebo also had allergic reactions.
Reactions to the jab can include a temperature, nausea, swelling of the arm or in severe cases feeling generally unwell with swollen lymph node glands.
A Pfizer spokesman said: ‘We have been advised by MHRA of two yellow card reports that may be associated with allergic reaction due to administration of the COVID-19 BNT162b2 vaccine.
‘As a precautionary measure, the MHRA has issued temporary guidance to the NHS while it conducts an investigation in order to fully understand each case and its causes. Pfizer and BioNTech are supporting the MHRA in the investigation.
‘In the pivotal phase 3 clinical trial, this vaccine was generally well tolerated with no serious safety concerns reported by the independent Data Monitoring Committee.
‘The trial has enrolled over 44,000 participants to date, over 42,000 of whom have received a second vaccination.’