A report claims that if someone dies of a heart attack after testing positive for COVID-19, their death will be classified as a virus-related death, but that if they die of a heart attack after receiving the vaccine if the cause of death is recorded. This claim lacks context.
It reads: “Death due to heart attack two days after he tested positive for Covid:” Covid killed him “. Death due to heart attack two days after Covid vaccine: “Heart attack killed him” (here, here).
The UK records COVID-19 deaths in two ways (here).
One measure contains the number of deaths that occur within 28 days after a positive COVID-19 result.
As of January 11, more than 81,000 deaths fall into this category.
However, the government also records the number of deaths for which doctors wrote COVID-19 as the cause of death on the death certificate.
People who had COVID-19 but did not write on their death certificate – because it was not considered a cause of death – are excluded from this number.
As of December 18, more than 82,000 people had mentioned COVID-19 on their death certificate.
Meanwhile, a fatal heart attack among a recently vaccinated patient will be reported under the vaccination monitoring system if it is suspected to be connected to the jab in any way.
Although vaccines are carefully tested before being licensed for use, their safety is constantly monitored.
In the United Kingdom, vaccines are monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) (Yellow Card Scheme – MHRA).
Suspected side effects of a vaccine are reported to the MHRA by drug companies, healthcare professionals and patients (here).
If a previously unidentified response emerges, or the frequency of responses does not match what is expected, the MHRA will investigate.
VERDICT
Missing context. In the UK, COVID-19 deaths are recorded in two ways. While the first includes all the deaths that occur within 28 days after a positive COVID-19 result, the second is the number of deaths where COVID-19 was written on the death certificate as the cause of death. The side effects of vaccines are regularly monitored by the MHRA in the United Kingdom.
This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work here.