While experts closely follow reports of COVID-19 side effects, a common misconception about the risks of the shot is that it has been proven that any patient died as a result of taking one in the United States.
Although a detection system at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has collected reports of deaths after COVID-19 vaccination, there is no evidence to suggest that the vaccine was the cause.
“We have not seen a single vaccine-related death yet. Not a single one,” said Dr. Danielle Scheurer, chief senior officer at the Medical University of South Carolina, said. Scheurer added that the chances of having long-term side effects from COVID-19 – or dying from the disease – are much greater.
Reluctance to take one of the vaccines authorized to be distributed in the United States is still widespread; 15 percent of respondents to a recent survey by the U.S. Census Bureau said they had not received any vaccine and did not intend to. The main reason for the recorders’ hesitation was the concern about possible side effects.
Anyone – patient or provider – can report an “adverse event” to the system, formally referred to as the “Vaccine Reporting System”. Reportable reactions include everything from severe allergic reactions to fever to death.
As of April 5, the VAERS system had recorded 2,794 deaths among people who received a COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr. Robert Oliverio, a chief medical officer at Roper St. Francis Healthcare, said the number of deaths appearing in VAERS is ‘nonsense’ when viewed as a statistic. He said there was no time limit when someone could report to VAERS after the vaccination, meaning they could have died days or weeks later.
“It gives you no idea what caused the deaths,” he said, as millions of Americans were shot, and by chance some would die not long after their appointment.
Oliverio said it was 1,500 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than to have any serious reaction to any of the vaccines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. He said the greatest risk for severe reaction is with anaphylaxis, and statistically it is likely that lightning strikes.
The CDC investigates every death report. Dr Brannon Traxler, interim director of public health at the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, said due to the way incidents are reported to VAERS, there is a lot of bias in the data. She said just because a death appears in the VAERS system, does not mean the vaccine was the cause of death.
“It’s unknown if there is a relationship,” Traxler said.
For example, about 2 million vaccines were distributed in the US in mid-January, and 196 deaths were reported to the VAERS system by that time. Two-thirds were residents of long-term care institutions.
CDC experts followed up each incident, calculated how many deaths they would normally expect to see if the vaccine was not given, and found that the number of deaths reported matched what would be expected under normal circumstances.
Statewide numbers
New cases reported: 453 confirmed, 300 probably.
Total cases in SC: 471,855 confirmed, 91,572 probable.
Percent positive: 4 percent.
New deaths reported: 0 confirmed, 0 likely.
Total deaths in SC: 8 165 confirmed, 1 111 probably.
Percentage of ICU beds filled: 68 percent.
How does SC count in vaccines administered per 100,000 people?
According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, on April 11th.
Areas hardest hit
Of the total number of recent cases, Greenville County (75), Charleston County (44) and Berkeley County (31) were the highest.
What about the three provinces?
Charleston County had 44 new cases on April 12, while Berkeley had 31 and Dorchester 16.
Hospitalizations
Of the 511 COVID-19 patients admitted to the hospital as of April 11, 126 were in the ICU and 65 used ventilators.
What do experts say?
A local chain of primary care offices is offering COVID-19 vaccine opportunities where Pfizer doses are available by appointment only.
Liberty Doctors is on April 15 at the Chabad of Charleston Center for Jewish Life on Mathis Ferry Road in Mount Pleasant. On April 17, Liberty Doctors will host a transit clinic in West Ashley.
Anyone 16 and older interested can schedule an appointment at www.libertydoctors.com/clinics.