HYDERABAD/VISAKHAPATNAM: Two women health workers died on Sunday in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, days after they were administered the Covishield vaccine. With this, eight health workers have died across the country after they were given Covid-19 vaccine.
However, none of these deaths were found to be related to the vaccine. Authorities in both the states clarified that the deaths were unrelated to the vaccine, and it was just a coincidence that both the health workers received the jab on January 19.
While a 45-year-old healthcare worker was given the vaccine at Shayampet in Warangal Urban district of Telangana, a 42-year-old Asha (accredited social health activist) worker was vaccinated in Guntur district of AndhraPradesh. The Warangal worker developed chest pain and uneasiness while the Asha worker in Guntur died of a brain stroke in the early hours of Sunday.
While health officials in Telangana maintained that the death of the Warangal worker was not related to the vaccine, the state’s public health director, Dr G Srinivasa Rao, said late in the evening that postmortem examination had been completed “but we could not establish anything. Samples are being sent for further investigation to central forensic laboratory”.
Rao added that the patient did not have any known comorbidities, except psychological issues. Earlier, public health department said that the Warangal Urban District adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) committee was examining the matter and will submit its report to the state AEFI committee. In both the cases, family members alleged that the health workers died after severe adverse reaction following the vaccination. The family of the Guntur worker protested outside the government hospital and they were joined by other health workers aswell