‘Highly unlikely’ 91-year-old’s death due to COVID-19 jab: Swiss authorities

There is no indication the #Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against #Covid-19 was responsible for the death of an elderly person in #Switzerland just days after she received the jab, #Swiss authorities said #Wednesday.

The #Swissmedic regulatory authority and regional authorities in the central canton of #Lucerne confirmed reports that a 91-year-old person who was among the first to receive the vaccine in #Switzerland last week had died.

#But a #Swissmedic spokesman insisted to AFP that the timing of the death on #Tuesday in a #Lucerne nursing home, just five days after receiving the vaccine, “was a coincidence”.

“Investigations by the cantonal health authorities and by #Swissmedic have shown that, based on the medical history and disease development, a connection between the death and the #Covid-19 vaccination is highly unlikely,” #Swissmedic said in a statement.

The deceased had already been suffering from several diseases, the agency pointed out.

“Neither the medical history nor the acute course of disease suggest a direct causal link between the #Covid-19 vaccine and the death,” it said.

“Pre-existing diseases” had been listed as the natural cause of death on the death certificate, it pointed out.

#Swissmedic, which approved the #Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on #December 20, stressed that no unknown side effects had occurred since vaccinations had begun in the country a week ago.

#Millions of people have already received the vaccine across a number of countries, and no deaths have been connected to the jabs so far.

#Pfizer and #BioNTech said they were aware of the death, and said their “thoughts are with the bereaved family.”

The two companies also stressed in a statement that “serious adverse events, including deaths that are unrelated to the vaccine, are unfortunately likely to occur at a similar rate as they would in the general population of elderly and at-risk individuals who are currently being prioritised for vaccination.”