New Delhi [India], July 3: A day after the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) dismissed allegations linking COVID-19 vaccines to rising deaths among youth, a panel of expert doctors from AIIMS Delhi addressed the matter, reaffirming the vaccines’ safety and life-saving role.
Dr Karan Madan, Associate Professor in the Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at AIIMS, said a study examining sudden cardiac arrests found “no clear association” between COVID-19 vaccines and sudden cardiac deaths.
“COVID vaccines were effective and played a crucial role in reducing mortality. During the pandemic, vaccines were the only possible measure to save lives. The benefits provided by them are immense,” Dr Madan emphasized during a press briefing.
He stressed that vaccines administered to large populations significantly reduced excess deaths during the pandemic, and the recent study confirmed there was no clear link to sudden cardiac deaths.
Meanwhile, Dr Sanjay Rai, Professor at AIIMS’ Centre for Community Medicine, highlighted Covishield’s efficacy at 62.1% and noted that the World Health Organization (WHO) has approved 12 COVID-19 vaccines, each developed using various technologies.
“Covishield uses a vector based on adenovirus. Covaxin uses a traditional inactivated virus approach, while Sputnik follows a similar vector principle,” Dr Rai explained.
He pointed out that over 13 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered worldwide, including in countries like the US, which have recently completed their fourth dose campaigns.
“The WHO continues to recommend vaccination for everyone aged six months and above, especially with vaccines targeting newer variants,” Dr Rai added.
The doctors’ statements come amid circulating misinformation attributing unexplained youth deaths to COVID-19 vaccination, which the AIIMS experts said lacks scientific backing.