A 41-year-old Portuguese nurse Sonia Acevedo was found dead on 1st January, 2 days after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Sonia, mother-of-two, was an operational assistant in the Portuguese Institute of Oncology in Porto. Being a frontline health worker, she received a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech on 30th January.
She didn’t develop any side effects after receiving the vaccine. But her sudden death has raised doubts over the safety of the vaccine.
Sonia’s father, Abilio Acevedo, has requested authorities to investigate the case. He also told a Portuguese news agency that “Sonia was okay and she had no health issues. She took the COVID-19 vaccine without any symptoms. I just want answers. I want to know what led to Sonia’s death.”
Sonia’s daughter said that her mother only felt a slight discomfort in the area where she was jabbed, otherwise she was fine.
Portuguese Institute of Oncology confirms the death of the health worker from Porto IPO and expresses sincere regret to the family and friends. The institute also mentioned that a standard procedure will be followed to determine the cause of death.
Recently, two nurses in Norway have died after receiving the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. Norway’s National Institute of Public Health is now investigating the cause of the deaths.
In the US, over 4,000 adverse allergic reactions were reported by people who received the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. Among those, 21 people suffered a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
Pfizer-BioNTech said that the vaccine is 95% effective and can be used in people aged 16 and over. The vaccine is given in two doses, about 21 days apart. The vaccine has mild to moderate side effects such as pain, swelling, chills, tiredness, headache and fever. But it can also cause severe side effects.
During the clinical trials of the vaccine, a few people suffered severe reactions, went to the hospital, or died.
Several counties including EU countries, the UK and the US have approved the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for mass vaccination. But, the death of healthcare workers after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine has raised doubts over the safety, efficacy and quality standards of this vaccine.
