NEW DELHI: A day after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that increasing heart attack related deaths could be due to Covid-19 vaccines, the Union government on Wednesday denied it and blamed the lifestyle and pre-existing conditions are identified as key factors.
The CM said "hasty approval and distribution" of the Covid vaccine to the public could be a reason for several heart-related deaths in Hassan district.
“Several studies worldwide have recently indicated that Covid vaccines could be a cause for the increasing number of heart attacks,” the CM stated.
Extensive studies by ICMR and AIIMS on sudden deaths among adults post Covid, have conclusively established no linkage between Covid-19 vaccines and sudden deaths, the Union health ministry said in a release.
“These studies have conclusively established that there is no direct link between Covid-19 vaccination and reports of sudden deaths,” a release added.
Studies by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) affirm that Covid-19 vaccines in India are safe and effective, with extremely rare instances of serious side-effects. Sudden cardiac death can result from genetics, lifestyle, pre-existing conditions, and post-Covid complications, it said. ICMR and NCDC have been working together to understand the causes behind sudden unexplained deaths, especially in the age group between 18 and 45, it said.
Experts have reiterated that statements linking Covid vaccination to sudden death are false and misleading, and not supported by scientific consensus. Speculative claims without conclusive evidence risk undermining public confidence in vaccines.