Vaccine Safety Update

This is the 13th of the round-ups of Covid vaccine safety reports and news compiled by a group of medical doctors who are monitoring developments but prefer to remain anonymous in the current climate (find the 12th one here). By no means is this part of an effort to generate alarm about the vaccines or dissuade anyone from getting inoculated. It should be read in conjunction with the Daily Sceptic‘s other posts on vaccines, which include both encouraging and not so encouraging developments. At the Daily Sceptic we report all the news about the vaccines whether positive or negative and give no one advice about whether they should or should not take them. Unlike with lockdowns, we are neither pro-vaccine nor anti-vaccine; we see our job as reporting the facts, not advocating for or against a particular policy. The vaccine technology is novel and the vaccines have not yet fully completed their trials, which is why they’re in use under temporary and not full market authorisation. This has been done on account of the emergency situation and the trial data was largely encouraging on both efficacy and safety. For a summary of that data, see this preamble to the Government’s page on the Yellow Card reporting system. (Dr Tess Lawrie in June wrote an open letter to Dr June Raine, head of the MHRA, arguing that: “The MHRA now has more than enough evidence on the Yellow Card system to declare the COVID-19 vaccines unsafe for use in humans,” a claim that has been ‘fact checked’ here.) We publish information and opinion to inform public debate and help readers reach their own conclusions about what is best for them, based on the available data.

Contamination of the COVID-19 vaccines has been reported in Japan and associated with three deaths (although no direct link has been identified). This has led to discussion of historic vaccine contamination with nanoparticles and the potential for the inclusion of nanotech in the Covid vaccines. Investigations by two German pathologists following 10 deaths potentially related to the vaccine have identified very high numbers of lymphocytes and foreign bodies in the tissue of those who had died and similar foreign bodies in the vaccines themselves.
A recent study from Portugal has reported that anaphylaxis in response to the Covid vaccine is at least 400% higher than for previous vaccines and is supported by evidence from the U.S. showing 21 cases of anaphylaxis following vaccination between December 14th-23rd 2020.
Fatal Systemic Capillary Leak Syndrome has been reported as the cause of death in a patient with Multiple myeloma who was given the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccination two days previously.
The potential for nervous system disorders following COVID-19 vaccination has been identified, particularly in patients with a previous history of autoimmune related issues, notably multiple sclerosis (MS). There have also been cases reported of Autoimmune Anemia and Autoimmune Thyroiditis and Adult Onset Stills Disease (AOSD), which is a rare multisystem inflammatory disorder.
Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) cases have been reported post-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine and delayed-onset headaches have been identified as a red flag for this disease. The BMJ has summarised the guidelines for identifying and managing vaccine induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT) and a potential link has been identified between the J&J vaccine and blood clotting and potentially death.
Myocarditis reporting in relation to the Covid vaccines continues, with VAERS reporting more than 2,500 cases of myocarditis or pericarditis to August 18th 2021, over 100 cases reported in youths in Ontario, and over 300 overall cases since vaccinations began. In addition, a number of new papers have been published including case studies on a 56 year-old man and a 40 year-old man, a study showing SARS-CoV-2 spike protein alters human cardiac pericyte function, a Canadian study confirming the link between the vaccines and myopericarditis, another showing cardiac adverse events (CAE) in children (particularly boys) aged 12-15, and a study showing 19 times the expected number of myocarditis cases in vaccinated 12-15 year olds.
Almost 35,000 women in the U.K. have reported irregular menstrual issues after getting the vaccines, leading to calls for an investigation and survey. Similarly, more than 150,000 menstrual side-effects have been reported in the U.S.A. prompting an investigative study by the CDC.
The Singapore government is paying out US $166,000 in compensation to a teen who suffered a cardiac arrest after his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Pfizer is planning to apply for authorisation to vaccinate babies from six months old in the US.. in November.
Covid Assembly has launched a service to enable reporting of under-18s adverse reactions, as scientists publish a study article questioning why we are vaccinating children and ONS data shows that deaths among teenage boys have increased 63% in the U.K. compared to 2020 figures since they started getting the vaccine.
Doctors are working to treat and understand post-vaccine shoulder injuries, which are linked to poor vaccine delivery.
Christopher Chope MP raised the issue of adverse reactions to Covid vaccines in Parliament and brought a private members bill to review the events and related compensation.
Olympic road cycling champion Greg Van Avermaet suspects a reaction to Covid vaccination is preventing him competing at the top level: “My body is fighting an unknown enemy and it could be the vaccine. The results of blood tests really aren’t good.” Similar claims have been made by U.S. basketball player Brandon Goodwin. Former England player Gary Neville has noted that “there is probably about a 50% or less take-up from professional footballers” of Covid vaccination, and suggested that “maybe it’s time for the players or the PFA to come out and explain what the concerns are that the players have and why they are not taking these vaccinations”.
In Australia, 46,438 adverse events and 448 deaths have been reported in connection with COVID-19 vaccines.
VAERS – the American version of the Yellow Card reporting system – released new data on October 8th bringing the total to 778,685 reports of adverse events following Covid vaccines, including 16,310 deaths and 111,921 serious injuries.
Suspected adverse events in the U.K. as reported in the media: Imogen Allen (22); Greg Van Avermaet (36) (athlete, non-U.K.); Maddy Campbell (17); Kirsty Hext (26); Alpa Tailor (35).

Summary of Adverse Events in the U.K.

According to an updated report published on October 7th, the MHRA Yellow Card reporting system has recorded a total of 1,222,566 events based on 370,574 reports. The total number of fatalities reported is 1,698.

Pfizer (22.9 million first doses, 19.6 million second doses) now has one Yellow Card in 189 people vaccinated. Deaths: 1 in 41,486 people vaccinated (552).
AstraZeneca (24.9 million first doses, 24 million second doses) has one Yellow Card in 106 people vaccinated. Deaths: 1 in 22,698 people vaccinated (1,097).
Moderna (1.4 million first doses, 0.7 million second doses) has one Yellow Card in 84 people vaccinated. Deaths: 1 in 73,684 people vaccinated (19).

Overall, one in every 132 people vaccinated (0.76%) have experienced a Yellow Card adverse event. The MHRA has previously estimated that the Yellow Card reporting rate may be approximately 10% of actual figures.