2 Infants Hospitalized After Accidentally Getting COVID-19 Vaccine Instead Of Immunity Shots

Two infants in Brazil were reportedly hospitalized after they were mistakenly given COVID-19 vaccines instead of immunity shots.

Three children were taken to the Basic Health Unit (UBS) in the Nova Sorocaba neighborhood Wednesday morning to update their vaccination cards. However, two of them received the Pfizer vaccine by mistake, G1 Globo reported, citing TV TEM [Google Translate showed].

The children, who have not been identified, are a two-month-old girl and a four-month-old boy. Both the kids were each given a Pfizer shot against COVID-19 instead of a combination immunizing agent against diphtheria, tetanus (lockjaw), pertussis (whooping cough), and hepatitis B.

After they returned home, the two infants had a high fever, vomiting and were unable to drink milk. The Pfizer vaccine caused a severe reaction in both the infants, following which they were taken to the Child Cancer Research and Assistance Group (Gpaci) Thursday night. Doctors at the hospital said the infants will undergo a serology test and then receive the correct dose of pentavalent.

According to Gpaci's clinical director, this was the first time the hospital had received a case of babies who had been mistakenly vaccinated against COVID.

The incident came to light while checking the vaccine stock. The nursing technician responsible for the incident claimed she confused the bottles, as they looked similar, local media reported. The nurse who administered the vaccines was temporarily suspended, and an administrative investigation was underway, NDTV reported, citing Asia News International.

Brazil is reporting more than 8,000 new COVID-19 infections on average each day. There have been 22,143,091 infections and 615,636 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began.

In September, a 4-year-old child was accidentally given a COVID-19 vaccine instead of a flu shot in Maryland. Victoria and Martin Olivier, and their 4-year-old daughter were at a Walgreens when the vaccine mix-up took place, reports said at the time. The child was given the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which is not yet authorized for children younger than 12.