'No deaths due to COVID-19 vaccination': Health Ministry cites AEFI committee findings

Union Health Ministry on Tuesday said that the national-level Adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI) committee in its first meeting had discussed eight AEFI cases and found that no deaths had occurred due to COVID-19 vaccination. The first meeting of AEFI committee was held on February 5.

Addressing a press conference in this regard, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, "A meeting of National AEFI Committee was held on February 5, 2021. They discussed eight AEFI cases. Causality assessment of 5 cases, 2 deaths and 3 hospitalized cases conducted. In hospitalised cases, all 3 recovered completely and discharged. Two cases were diagnosed as anaphylaxis and they classified as vaccine-product related reaction (known and expected reactions following vaccinations). One case was diagnosed as syncope and classified as immunisation triggered stress response (anxiety reaction). They found that no deaths were related to vaccination," Bhushan said.

READ | Niti Aayog: 'Panel May Recommend Using CSR Funds For Coronavirus Vaccination'

READ | India Fastest Country To Reach 6 Million COVID-19 Vaccination Mark: Union Health Ministry

Speaking on the assessment on the cause of three death cases which have been deferred, Bhushan said, "Histopathology and chemical analysis report called for and the state government will give them the report after which and they will make a decision."

So far 63,10,194 beneficiaries including healthcare and frontline workers have been vaccinated with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine as of now, Bhushan said.

"Administration of the second dose of vaccine will begin on February 13. We cannot indefinitely keep on scheduling and rescheduling healthcare workers. States/UTs have been advised that all healthcare workers must be scheduled at least once for vaccination by Feb 20. Timelines are communicated to states," he added.

Bhushan stated that over 97 per cent of 7.75 lakh people surveyed after receiving anti-coronavirus vaccine shots have expressed satisfaction with the immunisation process

The government is taking feedback from those vaccinated since January 17 through its mobile app CoWIN and has got responses from 7.75 lakh people, Bhushan said.

He said 98.37 per cent confirmed that they were informed about the process of vaccination and that it was given properly, 88.76 per cent said they were informed about adverse event following immunisation and 97.19 per cent confirmed that they were asked to wait for 30 minutes for monitoring after being vaccinated. 

(with inputs from ANI)

READ | Vaccine Scientists Call For Rethinking COVID-19 Vaccination Goals Amid Resistant Variants

READ | India Becomes Third Country In The World With Highest COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Administered