In a letter to the health minister and other significant authorities, a number of health experts, activists, infectious disease specialists, bioethicists and others have pointed to the need for a thorough investigation of the deaths of 11 health and frontline workers between 16 and 30 January, 2021, following administration of the COVID-19 vaccine, as reported in the media. The deaths took place in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Gurugram, Odisha, and Kerala.
The 11 deaths, reported in the media, took place between a few hours and five days of persons (primarily 42 to 56 years old) healthcare workers, and a frontline worker (23 years old), taking the vaccines, and all have been ascribed to cardiovascular problems or “brain stroke”. The vaccine taken in each case was Covishield, says the letter.
The letter further points out that the 11 deaths meet the WHO’s definition of a “cluster” of serious AEFIs as given in its Covid-19 vaccines: safety surveillance manual -- “when two or more AEFIs related in time, place or by vaccine occur”.Guidelines for investigation of cluster AEFIs are given in the WHO’s global manual for surveillance of adverse events following immunization. The letter points out that "AEFIs must be investigated urgently in order to issue warnings to people who should not take it due to contraindications, to correct errors, to reassure the public, as well as to identify potential serious problems in the vaccine. The algorithm for cluster AEFI investigation can rule out errors in manufacturing or administration, anxiety clusters, and coincidental events, to identify signals for further investigation."
Subsequent to this letter two more deaths have taken place that would also need to be investigated.
(For full text of letter see http://www.esocialsciences.org/Public_Statement/PublicStatementDetails.aspx?qs=D0kQkGbvTby1DNcPinJ7D...=)
Posted on :
Feb 02, 2021