Covishield is safe, no link to sudden deaths, says Serum Institute after Siddaramaiah's vaccine claim

The Serum Institute of India has denied any link between Covishield and sudden heart attack deaths in Karnataka. The clarification comes after CM Siddaramaiah hinted at a possible connection between vaccines and rising fatalities.

The Serum Institute of India (SII), the maker of Covishield, has issued a strong clarification denying any link between its COVID-19 vaccine and recent sudden deaths reported in Karnataka’s Hassan district. 

The statement came after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah raised concerns about a possible link between COVID-19 vaccination and the rise in heart attack deaths among young people in the region.

Over 20 sudden deaths in Hassan

Hassan district has reported over 20 sudden heart attack deaths in the past 40 days. Most of the victims were between 19 and 45 years old. The unusual number of fatalities raised alarm in the state, prompting the Chief Minister to form a medical expert committee to investigate the cause of these deaths.

CM hints at vaccine connection

Speaking about the spike in deaths, Siddaramaiah said, “It cannot be denied that the hasty approval and distribution of the COVID vaccine could also be a reason for these deaths, as several studies worldwide have recently indicated.”

He added that the matter is being taken very seriously and a committee led by Dr. Ravindranath, Director of the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, is already looking into the issue.

SII and health ministry respond

In response, SII shared a statement from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on social media platform X.

“In light of recent concerns, we affirm: Two large-scale studies by ICMR and AIIMS, as cited by the Ministry of Health, have found no link between COVID-19 vaccines and sudden deaths,” the post read.

“The vaccines are safe and scientifically validated,” it added.

Government warns against vaccine fear

The Union Health Ministry also issued a warning against spreading unverified claims. It said such statements may lead to public fear and increase vaccine hesitancy.

“Speculative claims without conclusive evidence risk undermining public confidence in vaccines, which have played a crucial role in saving millions of lives during the pandemic,” the ministry said.

It added that current claims linking COVID-19 vaccines to heart attacks sudden deaths are not supported by scientific evidence or global medical consensus.

Investigation underway

The expert committee set up in Karnataka will study all available medical data, including autopsy reports and health records of the deceased, to determine whether there is any common factor behind the recent deaths. The state government has assured the public that necessary steps will be taken based on the findings of the committee.