60 cases of post-Covid shot complication reported: Govt panel

New Delhi, July 19: As many as 60 people have experienced "serious adverse events" following Covid vaccination, according to a report by a Central panel studying such cases.

The National Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) Committee, which conducts causality assessment of AEFIs for COVID-19 has submitted the report to the Union Health Ministry.

55 out of 60 cases for which Causality assessment has been done found to have consistent causal association to vaccination, Of these 36 were anxiety related reactions, and 18 were vaccine product related reactions and one was classified as both vaccine product related and anxiety related reaction. 5 cases have been found to have inconsistent causal association to vaccination (coincidental - not linked to vaccination) of which one was a death case.

Vaccine product related reactions are expected reactions that can be attributed to vaccination based on current scientific evidence. Examples of such reactions are allergic reactions and anaphylaxis, etc.

Indeterminate reactions are reactions which have occurred soon after vaccination but there is no definitive evidence in current literature or clinical trial data that this event could have been caused due to the vaccine. Further observations, analysis and studies are required.

Unclassifiable events are events which have been investigated but there is not enough evidence for assigning a diagnosis due to missing crucial information. When this relevant information becomes available, the case may be reconsidered for causality assessment.

Coincidental events are events that are reported following immunization but for which a clear cause other than vaccination is found on investigation.

Overall, the benefits of vaccination are overwhelmingly greater than the small risk of harm. However, as a measure of utmost precaution, all emerging signals of harm are being constantly tracked and reviewed periodically.

Its previous report, published last month, had registered 31 such cases.