UK COVID-19 deaths, infections and adverse reactions to the vaccination

FOI Ref: FOI/2021/2961

You asked

Please supply the following information:

• The number of people reportedly harmed after receiving a Covid-19 Vaccination (first or second dose) in UK since the vaccine began to be rolled out, until as recent as possible (from all available vaccines).
• The types of 'harm' endured or reported by individual.
• The number of people who have died following a Covid-19 Vaccination. Having been vaccinated within 28 days prior to death, whatever the reason given for death.
• Please also release the location/sector details of (5 most common) Covid-19 outbreaks in the community since November 2020. Along with the number of infections and deaths per location outbreak i.e., care homes/supermarket.

We said

Thank you for your enquiry.

We are responsible for mortality statistics for England and Wales. National Records Scotland (NRS) and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) are responsible for statistics pertaining to Scotland and Northern Ireland. Therefore, we do not hold the requested data for the whole of the UK. Should you wish to obtain this data from NRS and NISRA, they can be contacted at foi@nrscotland.gov.uk and info@nisra.gov.uk respectively.

Deaths due to the COVID-19 vaccination

The number of deaths in England and Wales where adverse reaction to the vaccine was mentioned on the death certificate can be found in Table 12 of our Monthly Mortality Analysis dataset. There are currently 4 deaths registered with the aligning ICD-10 codes for this (U12.9). The latest data available is August 2021. An update will be released on 22 October 2021.

As such, the information you have requested is considered exempt under Section 22(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, whereby information is exempt from release if there is a view to publish the information in the future. Furthermore, as a central government department and producer of official statistics, we need to have the freedom to be able to determine our own publication timetables. This is to allow us to deal with the necessary preparation, administration and context of publications. It would be unreasonable to consider disclosure when to do so would undermine our functions.

This exemption is subject to a public interest test. We recognise the desirability of information being freely available and this is considered by ONS when publication schedules are set in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. The need for timely data must be balanced against the practicalities of applying statistical skill and judgement to produce the high quality, assured data needed to inform decision-making. If this balance is incorrectly applied, then we run the risk of decisions being based on inaccurate data which is arguably not in the public interest.  This will have an impact on public trust in official statistics in a time when accuracy of official statistics is more important to the public than ever before.

Deaths involving COVID-19 and all cause deaths by vaccination status

We hold analysis showing deaths within or exceeding 21 days, as this is the timeframe whereby the vaccine is deemed most effective.

Please see the following publication which shows deaths involving COVID-19 by vaccination status that occurred between 1 January and 2 July 2021 in England only: Deaths involving COVID-19 by vaccination status, England: deaths occurring between 2 January and 2 July 2021.

This publication includes weekly age standardised mortality rates for deaths involving COVID-19 by vaccination status and a detailed analysis of deaths involving COVID-19 which occurred in fully vaccinated individuals.

This is the latest data we hold; however, we are planning a future publication as we obtain more data. The publication date will be announced on our Release Calendar.

Unfortunately, we do not hold the requested analysis of deaths specifically within 28 days of vaccination broken down by age. In order to provide this, we would need to create a dataset using complex linking of mortality records to vaccination records, which would require a high level of skill and judgement to produce. Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Public Authorities are not obligated to create information in order to respond to requests.

Public Health England  publish a weekly surveillance report looks at the impact on hospitalisations, infection, vaccine effectiveness and mortality.

Adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccination

We do not hold information on adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccination.

However, the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority publish the Yellow Card Scheme which records self-reported adverse reactions to vaccinations. For further information on the Yellow Card scheme, please contact the on info@mhra.gov.uk.

COVID-19 infection outbreaks

The COVID-19 infection survey (CIS) is a household survey which refers to the number of current COVID-19 infections within the community population; community in this instance refers to private residential households and it excludes those in hospitals, care homes or other institutional settings.

We do not hold data related to outbreaks by location including care homes or supermarkets. Public Health England may be better placed to assist with this query. They can be contacted via email at wn_coronavirus@phe.gov.uk.

However, in the dataset accompanying our latest characteristics bulletin, you can find the latest data and analysis on the risk factors of testing positive for COVID-19, this includes analysis on individual characteristics and behaviours that could lead to a greater risk of testing positive for COVID-19.

For further information and an overview of all the data published across the ONS, please check our ONS COVID Insights Tool.

You may also find the following information useful:

We do produce a weekly COVID-19 deaths publication by place of occurrence which includes Hospitals, Hospice, Care Homes, Private homes and other communal establishments at Local Authority geography level. This can be accessed using the following link: Death registrations and occurrences by local authority and health board.

If you have any further enquiries about your request, please contact Health.Data@ons.gov.uk.