Amid rising concerns over an increase in sudden deaths among young people in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has directed the formation of a committee of expert doctors to investigate whether these deaths are linked to COVID-19 or its vaccines. The decision follows an appeal by senior journalist Rajaram Tallur, who highlighted the growing number of heart attacks, cardiac arrests, and brain-related fatalities reported in newspapers, urging the government to probe the matter.
In his email to the Chief Minister, Rajaram spoke of the devastating impact of these deaths on families. “Rajaram Tallur, senior journalist, through his e-mail, informed that recently in the state, sudden deaths of young people due to heart attacks, cardiac arrests, brain-related, nervous, and other reasons have been reported in newspapers. Every death is pushing dependent families into socio-economic problems. There is debate in the public sphere that these deaths may be due to Covid or side effects of the Covid vaccine,” the notice issued by Siddaramaiah said. He requested a detailed study on the issue and precautionary measures to prevent further incidents.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah instructed the formation of a committee of experts and scientists to investigate the deaths and submit a report. “Therefore, a committee of experts and scientists has been formed to conduct adequate research on such sudden deaths and the measures to be taken to prevent them in the future. A report will be submitted, and necessary strict measures will be taken based on its findings,” the Chief Minister stated.
A peer-reviewed ICMR study published in November 2023 found that COVID-19 vaccines did not raise the risk of sudden death among young adults in India. Instead, the study identified post-Covid hospitalisation, a family history of sudden death, and lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption and smoking as the more probable underlying causes. The state government’s committee will conduct its own study to determine whether COVID-19 vaccination is a contributing factor.