Deliberation of 144 Cases at the 21st Damage Investigation Team Meeting
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] Among 44 new cases of death following COVID-19 vaccination, 42 were evaluated as difficult to establish causality. The remaining 2 cases will be reconsidered after confirmation of the final autopsy results.
The Vaccine Injury Investigation Team held the 21st investigation meeting on the 9th and reviewed cases of death, severe symptoms, suspected anaphylaxis, and reconsideration cases after vaccination, the team announced on the 12th. First, after comprehensively reviewing underlying diseases and the impact of vaccination on the presumed causes of death and diagnoses in severe cases, 95 cases (42 deaths, 53 severe cases) were evaluated as difficult to establish causality between vaccination and death. The remaining 2 deaths will be reconsidered after confirmation of the final autopsy results.
The average age of the 44 new death cases was 73.8 years (range 35?91 years), and among them, 42 individuals (95.4%) had underlying conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and angina. The vaccines administered were Pfizer for 24 people, AstraZeneca for 19, and Janssen for 1. The average age of the 53 new severe cases was 72.3 years (range 38?90 years), with 47 individuals (88.7%) having underlying conditions. The average time from vaccination to symptom onset was 2.9 days (range 17 hours to 8 days). The vaccines received were Pfizer for 24 people, AstraZeneca for 28, and Janssen for 1.
The Vaccine Injury Investigation Team judged that a significant portion of the presumed causes of death and diagnoses, such as stroke, acute myocardial infarction, and sudden cardiac death, were more likely triggered by underlying diseases or old age rather than vaccination.
Two death cases and two severe cases, which were deferred for review in the previous 2nd, 14th, and 20th meetings, were re-evaluated based on additional information such as autopsy results and were assessed as difficult to establish causality with vaccination. However, among these, the severe case involving an asthma attack within one day after vaccination was considered to have insufficient evidence for causality.
Additionally, among 43 suspected anaphylaxis cases reviewed, causality was recognized in 19 cases.
So far, a total of 21 Vaccine Injury Investigation Team meetings have reviewed 773 cases of death and severe symptoms (353 deaths, 420 severe cases) and 367 suspected anaphylaxis cases. Cases recognized as having causality with vaccination include 1 death, 3 severe cases, and 123 anaphylaxis cases, totaling 127 cases.
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