Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will publish the guidance given to Clinical Commissioning Groups on vaccinating patients who (a) have allergies and (b) use EpiPens but are not specifically allergic to the ingredients in the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines; and if he will make a statement.

No specific guidance has been issued. Clinical commissioning groups should refer to Public Health England’s ‘Green Book’ Chapter 14a which covers who should be vaccinated. This is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/978508/Green_book_chapter_16April2021.pdf

Following close surveillance of the COVID-19 vaccine programme, current guidance is that that individuals with a history of anaphylaxis to food, an identified drug or vaccine, or an insect sting can receive any COVID-19 vaccine, as long as they are not known to be allergic to any component of the vaccine.