Tamil actor Vivekh did not die due to coronavirus vaccine, says national medical panel

A national committee of medical experts on Saturday said that Tamil actor Vivekh did not die because of the coronavirus vaccine, The Hindu reported.

The National Adverse Event Following Immunization Committee added that the actor’s death was a “coincidental event” – it occurred due to an underlying condition or because of exposure to something other than the coronavirus vaccine, The News Minute reported.

According to the panel’s report, the actor had suffered from “acute myocardial infarction [blockage in heart] with cardiogenic shock [seizing of the heart] with ventricular fibrillation [abnormal heart rhythm].”

Vivekh died on April 17. He was administered his first dose of Covaxin on April 15. His death had sparked speculation about whether he had suffered an adverse reaction to the vaccine.

After Vivekh’s death, his medical reports were submitted to the district and the state Adverse Event Following Immunization committees, according to The News Minute. The reports were also scrutinised by a casualty sub-assessment committee comprising cardiologists and pulmonary medicine specialists.

The assessment of this group was subsequently discussed by the National Adverse Event Following Immunization Committee, after which it published the report on the actor’s death.

The national committee on Saturday also said that the benefits of coronavirus vaccination were greater than the “small risk of harm”, according to The Hindu.

“As a measure of utmost precaution, all emerging signals of harm are being constantly tracked and reviewed periodically,” the panel said.

Tamil Nadu Health Minister M Subramanian said vaccination in the state had decreased after the actor’s death. “It is important to take the truth to people,” he said. “The state government had confirmed that his death was not due to inoculation.”