LINCOLN, Nebraska (KOLN) – The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has been informed that the COVID-19 vaccine has been listed as one of several causes of death for an individual in the state.
The individual, a man in his 40s with various comorbidities and living in a long-term care facility, died between 1 and 2 weeks after receiving his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The death occurred on January 17 and the man received the vaccine in the first week of January.
The death was recorded on VAERS, the Adverse Vaccine Event Notification System, a national vaccine safety surveillance program administered by the CDC and the FDA. Whenever death or any adverse event occurs after vaccination, the case must be reported to VAERS. This process allows the CDC and the FDA to closely monitor and assess any adverse events for ongoing safety assessments. As it is the standard protocol for any reported deaths in VAERS, it will be fully revised.
Dr. Gary Anthone, Medical Director of Nebraska, issued the following statement:
“Residents of long-term care facilities have a high priority in the state to receive vaccines, due to the higher mortality rates in this clinically fragile population. We are confident in the safety of the vaccine and understand that there may be doubts about a situation like this. Typically, deaths from COVID-19 vaccines can be attributed to anaphylaxis and occur within a relatively short period after the vaccine is administered, which is why monitoring is done. Although I cannot speculate on this case, when individuals die days or weeks after the vaccine has been administered, it is more likely to be due to other underlying factors. It is really important for individuals with high-risk conditions to consult their doctor about the best approach to getting vaccinated. “
DHHS says vaccination is the best line of defense against the COVID-19 pandemic.
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