A nurse of a private hospital in Kollam district of Kerala died of cardiac arrest on Friday. Suja, 52, who was reportedly a diabetic patient, had taken COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday. However, authorities have clarified that the vaccination might not have triggered the cardiac arrest and the exact cause of death will be known later after the post mortem is done.
Suja fainted while under observation after taking a vaccination shot at Karunagapally Taluk hospital. Though she was rushed to a nearby private hospital and underwent emergency surgery following a block in the heart, she succumbed. According to officials, she was administered the Serum Institute of India’s Covishield vaccine.
Suja was found to be negative for the novel coronavirus and the reason for the cardiac arrest will be known only after post mortem, the authorities have said. According to her relatives, she did not have any heart ailments earlier. The autopsy was conducted on Saturday and the post mortem report is awaited.
As per the latest data, from the Union Home Ministry, around 37 lakh people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the country. The government has added that among the 37 lakh, 71 instances of AEFIs (Adverse event following immunization) have been reported till 7 pm on Saturday, which is the fifteenth day of the vaccination drive. So far, the Union government has said that there have not been any deaths due to the COVID-19 vaccination. The state health department in Kerala has also clarified that there have not been any serious adverse effects due to the vaccination as yet.
While there have been reports of people experiencing side-effects after receiving a shot of the vaccine, experts have maintained that side-effects are natural when it comes to any kind of vaccine that has biological components, not just COVID-19 vaccines. Side-effects may also mean that the body is responding to the vaccine. Experts have also said that the vaccine takes two doses to work, and those who are administered one shot of the vaccine must take all precautions before and even after they have been given the second shot, which is administered 28 days after the first.