BHOPAL: The cause of Covaxin vaccine volunteer’s death would be ascertained only after six months. Reason: The viscera report would take six months and decoding can be done only after completion of vaccine trial. The decoding would help authority ascertain whether the volunteer was given shots of vaccine or simple medicine. Health minister Dr Prabhuram Chaudhary has already constituted a probe panel to examine the report. Meanwhile, politics over death of 42-year-old volunteer Deepak Maravi during vaccine trial has begun. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh met Marvai’s family and was told by his wife Jyanti, “Deepak died after administration of corona vaccine. People’s College of Medical Sciences & Research Centre (PCMS) administered vaccine during trial without intimating us. No official has visited us so far. Even after Deepak’s death they had phoned for the second dose of vaccine.”
Deepak died within 10 days of administration of shots. He had participated in the clinical trial for Covaxin at PCMS. He was given shots on December 12, 2020 and died on December 21, 2020. He was a gas tragedy victim. Post mortem report has cited cardiac arrest due to suspected poisoning as the reason of death. Viscera report is still awaited. Viscera report will clarify the exact cause of death—whether it is due to dose of COVAXIN or anything else. PCMS dean Dr Anil Dixit said, “Decoding or viscera report will identify the cause of Deepak’s death. Decoding in between vaccine trial is not possible as it is against protocol of the company. All depends on viscera test report. We have conveyed all things to Bharat Biotech.”
Gas activist Rachna Dinghara said, “GMC is not getting any volunteers but People’s Medical College got 1,700 volunteers. Such incidences expose its functioning. We had raised the issue of patients after vaccine dose. If we raise issue, we are termed traitors. Many people are facing health problems after the vaccine trial. How can third phase of trial be conducted without releasing second phase trial report. Actually, labourers are being misguided that vaccines are being administered free of cost and on the contrary, the company would pay for participating in the trial. Innocent labourers joined the trial without knowing the drawbacks. Why only labourers are picked up as volunteers.”
Health minister Dr Prabhuram Chaudhary said, “I have constituted a probe panel and it will submit report after receiving viscera report. Deepak’s wife said that his mouth was full of froth at the time of death. Initial post mortem report also suspects poisoning. Generally, after effect of vaccine is reflected within 24 to 48 hours and in this case, death occurred after 10 days of the shot. So it is quite premature to say that death is due to vaccine until viscera report is received.”
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