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No link between Covid-19 vaccines and sudden deaths, says health ministry
The Union health ministry said this conclusion is based on extensive studies conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Aiims).
'The matter of sudden, unexplained deaths has been investigated through several agencies in the country. These studies have conclusively established that there is no direct link between Covid-19 vaccination and the reports of sudden deaths in the country. Sudden cardiac deaths can result from a wide range of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, pre-existing conditions, and post-Covid complications,' MoHFW said in a statement.
What did the studies find about sudden deaths in adults?
The study conducted across 47 hospitals between May and August 2023 by ICMR's National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), titled Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18–45 years in India – A multicentric matched case–control study, found that Covid-19 vaccination does not increase the risk of sudden unexplained deaths in young adults.
Preliminary findings from an ongoing Aiims study, funded and conducted in collaboration with ICMR, titled Establishing the cause in sudden unexplained deaths in young, also indicate that heart attacks or myocardial infarction (MI), genetic factors, and unhealthy lifestyle choices continue to be the leading causes of such deaths.
Covid-19 vaccines are safe, says health ministry
The ministry further confirmed that studies by ICMR and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have shown that Covid-19 vaccines in India are safe and effective, with extremely rare instances of serious side effects. The studies reconfirm that vaccines are not to blame for sudden deaths.
What are the real causes of sudden deaths in young adults?
According to MoHFW, the studies identified several key risk factors behind sudden deaths:
Genetic mutations and family history of heart disease
Lifestyle factors like smoking, binge drinking, drug use, and intense physical exertion
Post-Covid health complications such as clotting issues and cardiac strain
The ongoing Aiims study also shows that the patterns of causes have not changed significantly from previous years, indicating that sudden deaths in this group are not a new phenomenon triggered by vaccines.
Government warns against vaccine misinformation
The ministry urged people not to consider Covid vaccines as villains, stating that linking them to sudden deaths creates fear, confusion, and vaccine hesitancy, deterring people from life-saving immunisation.
'Scientific experts have reiterated that statements linking Covid vaccination to sudden deaths are false and misleading, and are not supported by scientific consensus. Speculative claims without conclusive evidence risk undermining public confidence in vaccines, which have played a crucial role in saving millions of lives during the pandemic. Such unfounded reports and claims could strongly contribute to vaccine hesitancy in the country, thereby adversely impacting public health,' said MoHFW.
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