Union Health Minister JP Nadda informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that a study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has definitively concluded that Covid-19 vaccinations do not increase the risk of unexplained sudden deaths among young adults in India. In fact, the study indicates that vaccination actually reduces the likelihood of such deaths.
The study aimed to address concerns over premature deaths among some young adults being linked to Covid vaccines. It was conducted by the ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology and focused on healthy individuals aged 18–45 with no known co-morbidities, who died suddenly from unexplained causes between October 1, 2021, and March 31, 2023.
The research, carried out across 47 tertiary care hospitals in 19 states and Union Territories, included 729 sudden death cases and 2,916 controls. The findings showed that receiving at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, particularly two doses, significantly decreased the likelihood of unexplained sudden death.
The study also identified various factors that increased the risk of sudden death, such as a history of Covid-19 hospitalisation, a family history of sudden death, binge drinking within 48 hours of death, use of recreational drugs, and vigorous physical activity shortly before death.
Nadda clarified that the study found no connection between Covid-19 vaccination and unexplained sudden deaths among young adults. Instead, factors like past Covid-19 hospitalisations, family history, and certain lifestyle behaviors were found to elevate the risk of such deaths.
The Union Health Minister assured the public that a comprehensive adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) surveillance system is in place to monitor vaccine-related side effects. He emphasized that measures for timely medical intervention, such as mandatory observation of vaccine recipients for 30 minutes after vaccination and the availability of anaphylaxis kits, are being implemented.
To further raise awareness of AEFI, Nadda highlighted guidelines issued to states to improve reporting of vaccine-related adverse events and noted that information is being disseminated in multiple languages. The government is also using social media and collaborating with immunisation partners to spread awareness.
This study, Nadda concluded, offers critical clarity on the safety of Covid-19 vaccinations and counters the misconceptions associating them with unexplained sudden deaths.
