New Delhi: Covid-19 vaccines did not increase the risk of sudden death among young adults in India, Manoj Murhekar, director, ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology reiterated, a day after Hassan deputy commissioner KS Lathakumari formed a committee to look into recent deaths in the district due to heart attacks.
In the past one month, heart attacks have claimed more than 20 people in Karnataka's Hassan district.
Murhekar said blaming Covid vaccines for sudden deaths would not be correct.
Seeking to allay the apprehensions, Murhekar mentioned a ICMR study which revealed that the spate of sudden deaths reported after the pandemic among young adults in India can be attributed to hospitalisation during Covid, binge drinking, and intense unaccustomed activity.
"The study was conducted in 50 centres across the country. 800 cases of sudden deaths were included in that-they were healthy people that had suddenly died and did not have any illness. The study found that these deaths occurred due to comorbidity. What we found from our study is Covid vaccination was not associated with sudden deaths," he said.
Murhekar said the study found that those who required hospitalisation due to severe Covid had a higher risk of sudden death, while those who did unaccustomed exercises had higher risk of developing comorbidity, while drug users or those into binge drinking were found to be at risk.
He said the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is also undertaking a study on the matter. "The AIIMS study is still ongoing. What they are doing is sudden deaths. They are doing post mortems and trying to find out what could be the reasons. That study is ongoing but what I understand is that many of these had some other problems. To blame Covid vaccines might not be right," he said.
Responding to rising concern over the sudden deaths, the Karnataka health department formed an expert committee to investigate a possible link to Covid vaccines.
"There are reports from Karnataka that some deaths have happened. I also read that state leadership has constituted a committee. I am sure they would investigate and find out what are the reasons for sudden death," Murhekar said.
In the past one month, heart attacks have claimed more than 20 people in Karnataka's Hassan district.
Murhekar said blaming Covid vaccines for sudden deaths would not be correct.
Seeking to allay the apprehensions, Murhekar mentioned a ICMR study which revealed that the spate of sudden deaths reported after the pandemic among young adults in India can be attributed to hospitalisation during Covid, binge drinking, and intense unaccustomed activity.
"The study was conducted in 50 centres across the country. 800 cases of sudden deaths were included in that-they were healthy people that had suddenly died and did not have any illness. The study found that these deaths occurred due to comorbidity. What we found from our study is Covid vaccination was not associated with sudden deaths," he said.
Murhekar said the study found that those who required hospitalisation due to severe Covid had a higher risk of sudden death, while those who did unaccustomed exercises had higher risk of developing comorbidity, while drug users or those into binge drinking were found to be at risk.
He said the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is also undertaking a study on the matter. "The AIIMS study is still ongoing. What they are doing is sudden deaths. They are doing post mortems and trying to find out what could be the reasons. That study is ongoing but what I understand is that many of these had some other problems. To blame Covid vaccines might not be right," he said.
Responding to rising concern over the sudden deaths, the Karnataka health department formed an expert committee to investigate a possible link to Covid vaccines.
"There are reports from Karnataka that some deaths have happened. I also read that state leadership has constituted a committee. I am sure they would investigate and find out what are the reasons for sudden death," Murhekar said.
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