Age: 35.0
Sex: F
Vaccine: COVID19
Symptoms: Facial paralysis, Hypoaesthesia oral, Injection site nerve damage, Middle ear effusion, Pain
Clinical narrative: it hits a nerve; perceived it along the face still and the arm; Bell's Palsy; numbness in a small area of her tongue; right eye was irritated a little dry; right eye was irritated a little dry; right sided ear pain; fluid in the ear but no infection; This is a spontaneous report from a contactable health care professional (nurse practitioner). A 35-year-old female patient received her 1st dose of BNT162B2 (PFIZER-BIONTECH COVID-19 VACCINE) at single dose via an unknown route on the right side on 21Dec2020 for Covid-19 immunization. Medical history included intermittent hives. Concomitant drug included ongoing cetirizine hydrochloride (ZYRTEC) 5 mg for intermittent hives. The reporting nurse practitioner saw a patient on 31Dec2020 who was vaccinated on 21Dec2020 and had a Bell's Palsy reaction (reported as not serious). She did some research and saw no more incidents in the general population but she wanted to report this. She also wanted to get more information on if the patient should proceed with dose number 2 of the vaccine. The patient developed the Bell's Palsy within 5 minutes after getting the vaccine. She thought it was because she was anxious to get the vaccine, so she brushed it off. The Bell's Palsy was still occurring but per the patient it had improved. On exam she did not have any weakness, facial droop or dumbness with sharp or dull testing. The patient perceived it along the face still and the arm. The reporting nurse practitioner said that the arm was probably not Bell's Palsy, but more related to getting the vaccine in the arm and it hits a nerve. Patient stated that her smile was also unequal and it was difficult for her to close her right eye, although now (as of 31Dec2020) she can. Her right eye was irritated a little dry. Regarding treatment, the patient was started on steroids on 31Dec2020. She did not start her on an anti-viral as she did not want it to impact her immunity to the vaccine. The patient also complained of right sided ear pain. She was unsure if that was related to the Bell's Palsy, but it was also on the right side. There was fluid in the ear but no infection. The pain was still ongoing.  The patient also mentioned numbness in a small area of her tongue when she first got the vaccine. This was still ongoing. Outcome of Bell's Palsy was resolving. Outcome of the event numbness in a small area of her tongue, right sided ear pain was not resolved. Outcome of the other events was unknown.     The reporting nurse practitioner stated that this was not serious as this was a mild case and was thankfully resolving. The reporting nurse practitioner comment that nothing of history was relevant besides for the last several months (as of 31Dec2020) the patient had been taking 5mg of cetirizine hydrochloride for intermittent hives. She wondered if she had not been taking it how she would have reacted or if the reaction would have been more severe.    Information on the lot/Batch number has been requested.; Sender's Comments: A possible causal association between administration of BNT162B2 and the onset of Bell's Palsy cannot be excluded, considering the plausible temporal relationship.  The impact of this report on the benefit/risk profile of the Pfizer product is evaluated as part of Pfizer procedures for safety evaluation, including the review and analysis of aggregate data for adverse events. Any safety concern identified as part of this review, as well as any appropriate action in response, will be promptly notified to Regulatory Authorities, Ethics Committees and Investigators, as appropriate.