An elderly New York man collapsed and died less than half an hour after getting a Covid-19 vaccine, official said on Monday. The man, who was in his 70s, fell moments after he left the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan on Sunday morning, New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said in a statement.
The man was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where he died shortly after arrival. The identity of the elderly man hasn't been reveal yet. An investigation has been launched into the incident but it's still not clear if the man's death is related to the vaccine.
Sudden Death
The man, reportedly, left the vaccination center and while on his way out collapsed. He had received the vaccine shot just 25 minutes before that. The death happened so quickly that doctors couldn't do much after he was immediately rushed to the hospital by the on-site security and first responders. However, it's still not clear if the vaccine shot played a role in the man's death.
So far there have been minimal adverse reactions to the Covid-19 vaccines that are being given to millions. Those few cases most have so far been mostly linked to an allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis, which is a temporary side effect.
That said, the man is said to have no history of allergies. "Initial indications are that the man did not have any allergic reaction to the vaccine," Zucker, said in his statement. The man's sudden collapsing followed a mandatory 15-minute observation period, in which he "exhibited no adverse reactions or any distress," Zucker said.
Death Being Investigated
An investigation has been launched into the incident but NYPD is yet to share further details about the death. Some deaths have been reported across the world after taking the vaccine but there has so far been no official proof that these deaths happened due to the vaccines. In fact, most of the deaths reported so far have been due to other complications not resulting from the vaccine jab.
The elderly man's death comes as a shock but a lot of questions still remain unanswered. It's still not known which Covid-19 vaccine he was administered. In fact, health officials have been encouraging people to take the vaccine. In his statement, Zucker stressed that he and other public health experts believe the vaccine "is safe, and together with continued vigilance including wearing a mask and social distancing, it will bring an end to this pandemic."
Nearly one million New Yorkers have already been vaccinated, with 1.5 million residents having received their first doses statewide. The elderly man's death comes just two days after 58-year-old Virginia minister Drene Keyes, died after receiving a dose of the Pfizer vaccine at a clinic in Warsaw and falling ill.
Keyes had also remained at the clinic for 15 minutes after the shot, as recommended, before falling ill and returning to the clinic later that day. She died on Saturday and an investigation has been launched in her case too. "Preliminary findings indicate that the cause of death was not anaphylaxis, but it will take several weeks for additional information to become available," Warsaw police Chief Joan Kent said.
