Health Canada has updated its product information for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to include the very rare side effect of Bell’s Palsy following vaccination.
In an announcement Friday, Health Canada says cases have been reported in a small number of people in Canada and around the world.
Moderna’s vaccine label already contains safety information about reported cases of Bell’s Palsy following vaccination.
“Health Canada reassures Canadians that COVID-19 vaccines continue to be safe and effective at protecting them against COVID-19,” Health Canada said. “The benefits of COVID-19 vaccines continue to outweigh their potential risks, as scientific evidence shows that they reduce deaths and hospitalizations due to COVID-19.”
The agency says it continues to assess the issues for all authorized COVID-19 vaccines in Canada.
Bell’s Palsy is typically a temporary episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis.
Symptoms appear suddenly and generally start to improve after a few weeks.
The exact cause is unknown but is believed to be the result of swelling and inflammation of the nerve that controls muscles on one side of the face.
“Health Canada will continue to work with manufacturers, as well as domestic and international partners, to gain a better understanding of the potential relationship between COVID-19 vaccines and adverse events,” the agency added. “The department will take further action if necessary.”
Should you experience any symptoms of Bell’s Palsy, Health Canada says to seek medical attention. The symptoms include:
- uncoordinated movement of the muscles that control facial expressions, like smiling, squinting, blinking or closing the eyelid
- loss of feeling in the face
- headache
- tearing from the eye
- drooling
- lost sense of taste on the front two-thirds of the tongue
- hypersensitivity to sound in the one ear
- inability to close an eye on one side of the face