52 adverse events after Covid vaccine reported in Delhi on first day of immunisation drive

One AIIMS health worker reported to be a severe AEFI case. He was hospitalised after receiving a Covaxin shot. However, Union ministry maintained there was no hospitalisation case.

(Representational image) A health worker preparing to administer Covid vaccine at a hospital in New Delhi on 16 January 2021 | Photo: Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint

New Delhi: A total of 52 health workers developed Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) in the national capital Saturday until 5 pm as the first day of the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive kicked off.

Out of a total of 4,319 healthcare workers who were vaccinated on the first day in Delhi, one severe AEFI case was reported. The worker was hospitalised after receiving a Covaxin shot.

According to a Delhi government document prepared by the district magistrates (DMs), among the 11 districts in Delhi, the maximum number of AEFI cases was reported from the South (12) and South West (11) districts.

Another six were reported from the East District while five each were reported from the South East and New Delhi districts. The remaining 13 cases came from the other six districts.

Hospitalisation case

The healthcare worker who was admitted was from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Asked about the condition of the ‘severe’ case reported from the South district, DM Ankita Chakraborthy told ThePrint, “This is a male aged 22 years and showed some symptoms and developed an allergy and hence was admitted. I am told he is stable now but they will keep him in the hospital for the next 24 hours to be safe.”

The worker, who is in the Intensive Care Unit, was kept in observation after he developed headache, rash, respiratory distress and tachycardia, according to sources.

However, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare maintained that there was no case of hospitalisation from Delhi.

Other cases

Meanwhile, officials from the remaining districts maintained that no major discomfort was felt by any of the healthcare workers who developed AEFI.

According to the data gathered from the 11 districts, hospitals in most districts showed minor AEFI cases. None of these cases were put under the “serious category”, the government document said.

South West district additional DM Rakesh Dahiya said, “They were all minor cases, while some got fever, some experienced dizziness but no one was hospitalised. However, we will keep a check on them over the next few days through regular phone calls.”

ADM Nagendra Tripathi, Central district, where two AEFI cases were reported, said, “These were minor cases, while one person had a headache, the other felt dizzy but once they felt better, they were sent back home.”