For additional information about the safety and efficacy of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, please see the EUA Fact Sheets.
 

Important Safety Information

Do not administer Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, COMIRNATY, or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent to individuals with known history of a severe allergic reaction (eg, anaphylaxis) to any component of these vaccines.

Management of Acute Allergic Reactions
Appropriate medical treatment used to manage immediate allergic reactions must be immediately available in the event an acute anaphylactic reaction occurs following administration of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, COMIRNATY, or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent.

Monitor vaccine recipients for the occurrence of immediate adverse reactions according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines (https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/managing-anaphylaxis.html).

Myocarditis and Pericarditis
Myocarditis and pericarditis have been reported following administration of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. 

Postmarketing safety data with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine are relevant to Pfizer-BioNTech COVID‑19 Vaccine, Bivalent because these vaccines are manufactured using the same process.

Postmarketing data with authorized or approved monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines demonstrate increased risks of myocarditis and pericarditis, particularly within the first week following receipt of the second primary series dose or first booster dose, with most booster doses likely administered at least 5 months after completing primary vaccination. For the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, the observed risk is higher among adolescent males and adult males under 40 years of age than among females and older males and the observed risk is highest in males 12 through 17 years of age. Although some cases required intensive care support, available data from short-term follow-up suggest that most individuals have had resolution of symptoms with conservative management. Information is not yet available about potential long-term sequelae. The CDC has published considerations related to myocarditis and pericarditis after vaccination, including for vaccination of individuals with a history of myocarditis or pericarditis (https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/myocarditis.html).

Syncope
Syncope (fainting) may occur in association with administration of injectable vaccines, in particular in adolescents. Procedures should be in place to avoid injury from fainting.

Altered Immunocompetence
Immunocompromised persons, including individuals receiving immunosuppressant therapy, may have a diminished immune response to Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, COMIRNATY, or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent.

Limitation of Effectiveness
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, COMIRNATY, or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent may not protect all vaccine recipients.

Adverse Reactions
Primary Series Adverse Events
In a clinical study (3 mcg modRNA) of participants 6 through 23 months of age, adverse reactions following administration of any dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine included irritability (68.4%), decreased appetite (38.6%), tenderness at the injection site (26.4%), injection site redness (17.8%), fever (14.4%), injection site swelling (7.3%), and lymphadenopathy (0.2%). 
 
In a clinical study (3 mcg modRNA) of participants 2 through 4 years of age, adverse reactions following administration of any dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine included pain at the injection site (47.0%), fatigue (44.8%), injection site redness (18.9%), fever (10.5%), headache (8.7%), injection site swelling (8.4%), chills (5.7%), muscle pain (5.0%), joint pain (2.4%), and lymphadenopathy (0.1%). 

In a clinical study (10 mcg modRNA) of participants 5 through 11 years of age, adverse reactions following administration of any primary series dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine included pain at the injection site (84.3%), fatigue (51.7%), headache (38.2%), injection site redness (26.4%), injection site swelling (20.4%), muscle pain (17.5%), chills (12.4%), fever (8.3%), joint pain (7.6%), lymphadenopathy (0.9%), nausea (0.4%), rash (0.3%), malaise (0.1%), and decreased appetite (0.1%).

In clinical studies (30 mcg modRNA) of participants 12 through 15 years of age, the most commonly reported adverse reactions (≥8%) following any dose were pain at the injection site (90.5%), fatigue (77.5%), headache (75.5%), chills (49.2%), muscle pain (42.2%), fever (24.3%), joint pain (20.2%), injection site swelling (9.2%), and injection site redness (8.6%).

In clinical studies (30 mcg modRNA) of participants 16 through 55 years of age, the most commonly reported adverse reactions (≥10%) following any dose were pain at the injection site (88.6%), fatigue (70.1%), headache (64.9%), muscle pain (45.5%), chills (41.5%), joint pain (27.5%), fever (17.8%), and injection site swelling (10.6%).

In clinical studies (30 mcg modRNA) of participants 56 years of age and older, the most commonly reported adverse reactions (≥10%) following any dose were pain at the injection site (78.2%), fatigue (56.9%), headache (45.9%), muscle pain (32.5%), chills (24.8%), joint pain (21.5%), injection site swelling (11.8%), fever (11.5%), and injection site redness (10.4%).

Booster Dose Adverse Events
The safety of a booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent is based on:

• safety data from a clinical study which evaluated a booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech’s bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (Original and Omicron BA.1), not authorized or approved, hereafter referred to as bivalent vaccine (Original and Omicron BA.1),  
• safety data from clinical trials which evaluated primary and booster vaccination with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and 
• post marketing safety data with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

The safety data accrued with the bivalent vaccine (Original and Omicron BA.1) and with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine are relevant to Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent because these vaccines are manufactured using the same process. 

The clinical study (30 mcg modRNA) that evaluated a booster dose of the bivalent vaccine (Original and Omicron BA.1) included participants greater than 55 years of age. Adverse reactions following administration of the bivalent vaccine (Original and Omicron BA.1) as a second booster dose included pain at the injection site (58.1%), fatigue (49.2%), headache (33.6%), muscle pain (22.3%), chills (13.0%), joint pain (11.3%), injection site redness (7.0%), injection site swelling (6.6%), fever (5.0%), lymphadenopathy (0.3%), nausea (0.3%), and malaise (0.3%).

In a clinical study (30 mcg modRNA) of participants 18 through 55 years of age, adverse reactions following administration of a first booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine were pain at the injection site (83.0%), fatigue (63.7%), headache (48.4%), muscle pain (39.1%), chills (29.1%), joint pain (25.3%), lymphadenopathy (5.2%), nausea (0.7%), decreased appetite (0.3%), rash (0.3%), and pain in extremity (0.3%).

In a clinical study (10 mcg modRNA) of participants 5 through 11 years of age, adverse reactions following administration of a single booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine were injection site pain (73.9%), fatigue (45.6%), headache (34.0%), muscle pain (18.3%), injection site swelling (16.4%), injection site redness (15.6%), chills (10.5%), fever (6.7%), joint pain (6.7%), diarrhea (4.9%), lymphadenopathy (2.5%), and vomiting (2.4%). 

Post Authorization Experience
Severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, and other hypersensitivity reactions (eg, rash, pruritus, urticaria, angioedema), diarrhea, vomiting, pain in extremity (arm), and syncope have been reported following administration of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. 

Myocarditis and pericarditis have been reported following administration of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. 

Additional adverse reactions, some of which may be serious, may become apparent with more widespread use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and post authorization use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent.

Before administration of the vaccine, please click to see:

Fact Sheets for individuals 12 years of age and older

EUA Fact Sheet for Vaccination Providers (12 years of age and older), DILUTE BEFORE USE, Purple Cap
EUA Fact Sheet for Vaccination Providers (12 years of age and older), DO NOT DILUTE, Gray Cap
EUA Fact Sheet for Vaccination Providers (12 years of age and older), DO NOT DILUTE, Bivalent (Original and Omicron BA.4/BA.5), Gray Cap
Recipients and Caregivers Fact Sheet (12 years of age and older)

Fact Sheets for individuals 5 through 11 years of age
EUA Fact Sheet for Vaccination Providers (5 through 11 years of age), DILUTE BEFORE USE, Orange Cap
EUA Fact Sheet for Vaccination Providers (5 through 11 years of age), DILUTE BEFORE USE, Bivalent (Original and Omicron BA.4/BA.5), Orange Cap
Recipients and Caregivers Fact Sheet (5 through 11 years of age)

Fact Sheets for individuals 6 months through 4 years of age
EUA Fact Sheet for Vaccination Providers (6 months through 4 years of age), DILUTE BEFORE USE, Maroon Cap
Recipients and Caregivers Fact Sheet (6 months through 4 years of age)