FOI release

Freedom of Information request on the yellow card reports regarding the COVID-19 vaccine in Northern Ireland (FOI 21/860)

Published 20 January 2022

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information-responses-from-the-mhra-week-commencing-23-august-2021/freedom-of-information-request-on-the-yellow-card-reports-regarding-the-covid-19-vaccine-in-northern-ireland-foi-21860

26th August 2021

FOI 21/860

Dear

Thank you for your email dated 28th July 2021, where you asked for information on the following under the Freedom of Information Act:

  1. The total number of individuals from Northern Ireland who have died after receiving a Covid19 vaccine, since December 2020 to present.

  2. The total number of individuals from Northern Ireland who have reported adverse reactions after receiving a Covid19 vaccine, since December to present.
  3. The above information aggregated by month, vaccine administered either Pfizer/BioTech or Oxford/AstraZeneca: Other, and by age groups below:

0-19

20-39

40-59

60-79

80+

Age unknown

With regards to point 1 the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) are responsible for the provision of mortality statistics pertaining to Northern Ireland. They can be contacted at info@nisra.gov.uk.

Regarding point 2, the total number of spontaneous suspected Yellow Card reports from Northern Ireland relating to COVID-19 vaccinations up to and including 11 August 2021 is available in our weekly summary of Yellow Card reporting (Table 3). This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine-adverse-reactions/coronavirus-vaccine-summary-of-yellow-card-reporting.

Regarding point 3, you requested analysis of the adverse reactions recorded from patients in Northern Ireland aggregated by age group for each the COVID-19 vaccines. The MHRA intend to publish all suspected reactions (including those with a fatal outcome) reported in association with available COVID-19 vaccines for Northern Ireland. As we plan to publish this data, we consider that this section of your request is covered by Section 22 of the Freedom of Information Act (information intended for future publication) and the information you have asked for is therefore exempt from disclosure. Section 22 is a qualified exemption which means we have considered whether there is a greater public interest in releasing the information requested or withholding it. We recognise there is strong interest in seeing this data and accept it should not be withheld.

I hope the information provided is helpful, but if you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of this response; and can be addressed to this email address.

Yours sincerely,

FOI Team,

Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines Division

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