Portcullis Surgery

Portcullis Lane, Ludlow, SY8 1GT

Telephone: 01584 872 939

https://florey.accurx.com/p/M82043

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Information about the Pfizer Vaccine

Package leaflet: Information for the recipient of a Pfizer Covid Vaccine

Read all of this leaflet carefully before you receive this vaccine because it contains important information for you.

  • Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
  • If you have any further questions, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
  • If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

What is in this leaflet:

  1. What COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 is and what it is used for
  2. What you need to know before you receive COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2
  3. How COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 is given
  4. Possible side effects
  5. How to store COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2
  6. Contents of the pack and other information

1. What COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 is and what it is used for

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 is a vaccine used for active immunisation to prevent COVID19 disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus.

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 is given to adults and adolescents from 16 years.

The vaccine triggers the body’s natural production of antibodies and stimulates immune cells to protect against COVID-19 disease.

2. What you need to know before you receive COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 should not be given

  • if you are allergic to the active substance or any of the other ingredients of this medicine, listed in section 6. Signs of an allergic reaction may include itchy skin rash, shortness of breath and swelling of the face or tongue. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional immediately or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away if you have an allergic reaction. It can be life-threatening.

Warnings and precautions

Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before you are given the vaccine if you have:

  • had a serious allergic reaction to a previous vaccine, medicine or food
  • had any problems following previous administration of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 such as allergic reaction or breathing problems
  • a severe illness with high fever
    • However, a mild fever or upper airway infection, like a cold, are not reasons to delay vaccination.
  • a weakened immune system, such as due to HIV infection, or are on a medicine that affects your immune system
  • a bleeding problem, bruise easily or use a medicine to inhibit blood clotting

As with any vaccine, COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 may not fully protect all those who receive it. No data are currently available in individuals with a weakened immune system or who are taking chronic treatment that suppresses or prevents immune responses.

Children and adolescents

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 is not recommended for children under 16 years.

Other medicines and COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are using, have recently used or might use any other medicines or have recently received any other vaccine.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding

There is currently limited data available on the use of this vaccine in pregnant women. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before you receive this vaccine. As a precaution, you should avoid becoming pregnant until at least 2 months after the vaccine.

Driving and using machines

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 has no or negligible influence on the ability to drive and use machines. However, some of the effects mentioned under section 4 ‘Possible side effects’ may temporarily affect the ability to drive or use machines. Do not drive or operate machinery until you are sure that you are not affected.

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 contains sodium and potassium

This vaccine contains potassium, less than 1 mmol (39 mg) per dose, i.e. essentially ‘potassium-free’.

This vaccine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, that is to say essentially ‘sodiumfree’.

3. How COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 is given

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 is given after dilution as an injection of 0.3 mL into a muscle of your upper arm.

You will receive 2 injections, given 21 days apart.

If you receive one dose of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2, you should receive a second dose of the same vaccine 21 days later to complete the vaccination series. Protection against COVID-19 disease may not be effective until at least 7 days after the second dose.

If you have any further questions on the use of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.

4. Possible side effects

Like all vaccines, COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Most side effects are mild or moderate and go away within a few days of appearing. If side effects such as pain and/or fever are troublesome, they can be treated by medicines for pain and fever such as paracetamol.

Side effects may occur with following frequencies:

Very common: may affect more than 1 in 10 people

  • pain at injection site
  • tiredness
  • headache
  • muscle pain
  • chills
  • joint pain
  • fever

Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 people

  • injection site swelling
  • redness at injection site
  • nausea

Uncommon: may affect up to 1 in 100 people

  • enlarged lymph nodes
  • feeling unwell

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Coronavirus Yellow Card reporting site or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store and include the vaccine brand and batch/Lot number if available.

By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this vaccine.

5. How to store COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2

Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the box and label after EXP.

The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.

Store in freezer at -80 °C to -60 °C.

Store in the original package in order to protect from light.

After thawing, the vaccine should be diluted and administered by a healthcare professional and used within 6 hours. Any unused vaccine should be discarded.

6. Contents of the pack and other information

What COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 contains:

  • The active substance is BNT162b2 RNA.

After dilution, the vial contains 5 doses, of 0.3 mL with 30 micrograms mRNA each.

  • This vaccine contains polyethylene glycol/macrogol (PEG) as part of ALC-0159

The other ingredients are:

  • ALC-0315 = (4-hydroxybutyl)azanediyl)bis(hexane-6,1-diyl)bis(2-hexyldecanoate)
  • ALC-0159 = 2[(polyethylene glycol)-2000]-N,N-ditetradecylacetamide
  • 1,2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine
  • cholesterol
  • potassium chloride
  • potassium dihydrogen phosphate
  • sodium chloride
  • disodium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate
  • sucrose

What COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 looks like and contents of the pack

The vaccine is a white to off-white solution provided in a multidose vial of 5 doses in a 2 mL clear vial (type I glass), with a rubber stopper and a flip-off plastic cap with aluminium seal.

Pack size: 195 vials

Manufacturer(s)
BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH
Kupferbergterrasse 17-19
55116 Mainz, Germany

Opening Times

  • Monday
    08:30am to 06:00pm
    6-8pm Pre-booked appointments only.Call 111 for advice OOH
  • Tuesday
    08:30am to 06:00pm
    6-8pm Pre-booked appointments only.Call 111 for advice OOH
  • Wednesday
    08:30am to 06:00pm
    6-8pm Pre-booked appointments only.Call 111 for advice OOH
  • Thursday
    08:30am to 06:00pm
    Call 111 for advice OOH
  • Friday
    08:30am to 06:00pm
    Open 1-2 Fridays a month. 6-8pm Pre-booked appointments only.Call 111 for advice OOH
  • Saturday
    CLOSED
  • Sunday
    CLOSED
    Call 111 for advice OOH
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