Around 2.96 crore doses till 5th September covid vaccine given in the state, out of which 4,509 minor AEFIs, 71 severe AEFIs and 247 severe AEFI cases were reported. DHS figures show that there were 174 deaths within 30 days of vaccination.
The RTI document states that all post-vaccination deaths may not be due to vaccination but can also happen by chance.
AEFI is any untoward medical event that occurs after vaccination and does not necessarily have a causal relationship to the vaccine. Adverse events are classified by severity and frequency as minor, severe and severe. Death falls under severe AEFI.
Officials said a causal assessment is being done at the district level across the state. An expert committee constituted for the state will further analyze this data and submit it to the Centre. Among minor AEFIs, Kannur reported the highest number of cases at 1,164, followed by Palakkad (812) and Thrissur (436).
Thrissur has the most severe AEFI with 47 cases and 37 deaths. Idukki and Kasaragod recorded the lowest number of serious AEFIs till September with five cases each. “Kerala had a very negligible percentage of adverse events following Covid vaccination. An official said, we are investigating every case that has come to the fore in all the districts so far.
Officials said the low percentage of adverse events is a boost to the vaccination campaign. “As per our latest estimates, around 1.25 lakh people have to take both the doses. This may not be entirely due to the reluctance of the vaccine, we hope to bridge the gap soon,” the official said.
A statement in Parliament in February 2021 shows that most of the total AEFIs reported across the country were minor AEFIs such as anxiety, vertigo, dizziness, lightheadedness, fever, pain, rashes and headache that were self-limiting. And all the people had recovered.
Around 17 lakh doses of the Covid vaccine will be given in November as many people have to be given a second dose in the first two weeks of November.
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