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At Brownsville's Brookdale Hospital, COVID-19 Vaccine Is Like "Christmas Coming Early"

"If I anaphylax, who's got me?" joked Dr.

"If I anaphylax, who's got me?" joked Dr. Ibbad Yousuf, getting a nervous laugh from his fellow Emergency Department colleagues as he rolled up his sleeve to become the very first person vaccinated at Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn.

"I'm glad you mentioned that," replied Dr. Sandra Scott, the department chair. "The shots also come with vials of adrenaline and Benadryl, just in case."

Translation: A small percentage of people injected with the new coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer are expected to have short-term side effects, like severe soreness and high fevers. An even smaller proportion could have the extreme allergic reaction known as anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal if not treated immediately (a handful of people have reported allergic reactions in the U.K. and U.S., the most serious being a health care worker in Alaska who remained in the hospital for observation after her shot).

Gemma John, the first nurse at Brookdale Hospital to be vaccinated, getting an injection from nurse Mary Mitchel. "If I anaphylax, who's got me?" joked Dr. Ibbad Yousuf, getting a nervous laugh from his fellow Emergency Department colleagues as he rolled up his sleeve to become the very first [...]




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