Covid Vaccines Do Not Increase Sudden Death Risk, ICMR Study Shows: JP Nadda

Union Health Minister JP Nadda addressed concerns in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, clarifying that Covid-19 vaccinations do not increase the risk of unexplained sudden death among young adults in India. He referenced a study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) which has conclusively found that the risk of sudden death is actually lowered with Covid vaccination.

The study, titled “Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18-45 years in India”, was carried out by the ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology across 47 tertiary care hospitals in 19 states and Union Territories between May and August of last year. The study analyzed 729 cases of unexplained sudden death and compared them with 2,916 controls. The findings demonstrated that Covid-19 vaccination significantly reduced the odds of unexplained sudden death among young adults.

Nadda highlighted that individuals who had received any dose of the Covid-19 vaccine had a lower risk of unexplained sudden death. In particular, those who received two doses of the vaccine showed a further reduction in their risk.

“The study observed that COVID-19 vaccination did not increase the risk of unexplained sudden death among young adults in India,” said Nadda. He emphasized that the main factors contributing to an increased likelihood of sudden death were past COVID-19 hospitalisation, family history of sudden death, and certain lifestyle behaviors, such as binge drinking, recreational drug use, and vigorous-intensity physical activity within 48 hours before death.

The study examined cases where individuals, previously healthy with no known comorbidities, died suddenly within 24 hours of hospitalization or were seen in apparent good health within the last 24 hours before their death. The research aimed to identify the factors contributing to these unexpected fatalities and found lifestyle choices and medical history as significant contributors.

In conclusion, Nadda reassured the public that Covid-19 vaccinations have no harmful association with unexplained deaths, further encouraging the population to get vaccinated as a preventive measure against the virus.