Scientifically flawed to link Covid vaccines to sudden deaths: Top immunologist
As speculation grows around sudden cardiac deaths and their possible association with vaccination, Dr. Bal made it clear: 'Sudden heart attack deaths being loosely linked to Covid-19 vaccines doesn't have any scientific evidence.'She added that most people in India have not taken Covid booster doses in the last three years, making a direct link to recent incidents medically implausible. "So connecting today's deaths to vaccines taken long ago is scientifically flawed,' she said.HEART ATTACKS ON THE RISE, BUT WHY?According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India recorded a 12.5% increase in heart attack deaths in 2022. The NCRB's report, Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India, revealed that 32,457 individuals died of heart attacks in 2022, up from 28,413 the previous year.This spike follows relatively stable figures in 2020 (28,579 deaths) and 2021 (28,413 deaths), pointing to a sharp recent increase.Dr. Bal stressed the need for context: 'We need baseline data from before 2020 - age, socioeconomic conditions, health status - and compare it with current figures. Only then can we say if deaths have risen.'LIMITATIONS IN VACCINE SIDE-EFFECT REPORTINGIndia does have a system for tracking Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI). Before Covid, this was focused on childhood vaccinations.When adult vaccinations began, the government developed a reporting system for Covid vaccine side effects, including deaths, but the infrastructure took time to build and remains incomplete and underdeveloped.
India does have a system for tracking Adverse Events Following Immunization. ()
India also introduced self-reporting mechanisms, allowing citizens to log symptoms like fever or breathlessness. 'It was a step forward, but the system is still far from perfect. Our data is not as strong as what you might find in the US or Europe,' said Dr. Bal.CORRELATION DOESN'T MEAN CAUSATIONadvertisementReports of healthy individuals dying after vaccination appears alarming, but Dr. Bal believes this could reflect improved health tracking rather than an actual increase in deaths.'You can't confidently link a current heart attack to a vaccine taken three years ago. That's not how causality works in science,' she said.Even if more deaths are occurring, she added, vaccines could be one among many possible causes: 'Maybe 30 or 40 causes. But you can't isolate one without evidence.'MYOCARDITIS: A RARE, MILD SIDE EFFECTIn very rare cases, especially among young men, Covid-19 vaccines could cause myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle. However, these cases are usually mild and extremely uncommon.Health experts maintain that for the vast majority, Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective in preventing severe disease.The Union Health Ministry recently issued a statement studies the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) affirm that Covid-19 vaccines in India are safe and effective, with extremely rare instances of serious side effects. "Sudden cardiac deaths can result from a wide range of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, pre-existing conditions, and post-Covid complications," the statement read.The Serum Institute of India (SII), which manufactured Covishield, also reaffirmed the safety of its vaccine.- EndsMust Watch
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