A woman with ‘medical issues’ has died after receiving Pfizer’s Covid vaccine in New Zealand, the country’s health authorities claimed today.
The unidentified woman, whose age was not specified, was taken ill with myocarditis – or inflammation of the heart – shortly after getting the jab.
The condition, a rare side effect of the vaccine, can cause damage to the heart in the long-run and leave some sufferers needing a transplant.
Myocarditis following Pfizer’s vaccine is most common among boys and young men, although the majority cases are mild and easily treated. The complication appears to be more common after the second dose.
The case is the first fatality to be linked to Pfizer’s jab in New Zealand, the country’s Health Ministry said. More than three million doses have already been administered in the country.
In Britain the condition is at the forefront of debates over whether to give over-12s the Covid vaccine.
The risk of children either dying or falling seriously ill after getting Covid is so low that experts have questioned whether it is worth jabbing them.
Britain has recorded 195 cases of myocarditis following vaccination with the Pfizer jab, and one death from the condition.
It has dished out more than 37.9million doses of the Pfizer vaccine since the roll-out began in December, the equivalent of almost one in 200,000 people suffering the reaction.
A woman with medical issues in New Zealand has died from the Covid vaccine in New Zealand. The condition is most commong among young boys. (stock)
Britain has dished out more than 37million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to date. But it has only recorded 195 cases of the very rare side-effect myocarditis, the equivalent of almost one in 200,000 people suffering the reaction. It has also registered only one death from the condition following vaccination with the Pfizer jab
New Zealand’s vaccine safety monitoring panel attributed the woman’s death to myocarditis.
But the group encouraged people to keep getting the vaccine, saying the benefits far outweighed the risks.
It said: ‘The [panel] extends their sympathies to the woman’s family and friends during this difficult time and thanks the family for their assistance with this investigation.
Denmark to offer people with weakened immune systems third dose of vaccine
Denmark has today recommended that people with severely weakened immune systems should get a third dose of the Covid vaccine.
The Danish Medicines Agency said that some people ‘may have insufficient effect of vaccination against Covid, just as they may have reduced effect of other vaccines’.
The government agency said it was a recommendation as to which groups should be offered revaccination with a third dose Covid vaccine on the basis of severely weakened immune systems.
Britain is still debating whether to hand out Covid booster shots, although sources suggest only the most vulnerable will be offered the extra doses.
As of September 10, Denmark will no longer consider Covid as ‘a socially critical disease’ and phase out the digital pass that required to enter restaurants, among other places, because of the large number of vaccination.
More than 80 per cent of all people in Scandinavian the country over the age of 12 have been vaccinated twice, and Denmark has a target of reaching 90 per cent by October 1.
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‘The [panel] considered that myocarditis was probably due to vaccination.
‘[We] noted there were other medical issues occurring at this time which may have influenced the outcome following vaccination.’
It added: ‘The benefits of vaccination with the Pfizer Covid vaccine continue to greatly outweigh the risk of both Covid infection and vaccine side-effects, including myocarditis.’
A coroner will examine the case before determining the exact cause of death.
The woman died within the last month.
Pfizer said it was aware that myocarditis was an extremely rare side effect of its vaccine.
In a statement, it said: ‘Pfizer takes adverse events that are potentially associated with our vaccine very seriously.
‘We closely monitor all such events and collect relevant information to share with worldwide regulatory authorities.’
The Pfizer vaccine is the only one approved to dish out in New Zealand.
Regulators in the UK, the US, the EU and the World Health Organization have all said mRNA vaccines — Pfizer and Moderna’s shots — can spark myocarditis in very rare cases.
The EU’s drug regulator said on July 9 that five people had died due to side-effects after receiving either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
Britain’s drug regulator the MHRA noted: ‘A consistent pattern of (myocarditis) cases occurring more frequently in young males and shortly after the second dose of the vaccines.
‘These reports are extremely rare, and the events are typically mild with individuals usually recovering within a short time with standard treatment and rest.’
Most cases occur within 14 days of vaccination.
Britain’s medical regulators have recorded 508 deaths following ‘suspected adverse reactions’ to the Pfizer vaccine, 1,056 deaths following the AstraZeneca jab and 17 after receiving Moderna’s shot.
For comparison, more than 150,000 people have died after catching Covid.
NHS England bosses have already told trusts to be ready to expand the roll out to all over-12s in just two weeks’ time as scientists warned the virus will ‘rip through schools’ unless pupils are immunised before the new term. Pictured: 16-year-old festival goer Lottie Beard getting a vaccine jab at a walk-in Covid vaccination clinic at Reading Festival on Thursday
Myocarditis is one of the issues No10’s top scientists are weighing up before deciding whether to inoculate 12 to 15-year-olds against Covid.
Britain’s medical regulator has already approved Pfizer and Moderna’s jabs for children, but the JCVI — which directs the roll out — is yet to decide whether they should be inoculated.
NHS England bosses have already told trusts to be ready to expand the roll out in just under two weeks, amid fears the virus will rip through schools unless pupils are immunised before the new term.
Whitehall insiders claim Boris Johnson wants the NHS to ‘crack on’ with vaccinating children.
The Prime Minister has reportedly become frustrated with delays over approving the plans, claiming even with the vaccines there is ‘nothing we can do’ to stop children becoming infected and spreading the virus to older people because jabs are not as effective at cutting transmission.
GP Renee Hoenderkamp said despite supporting vaccines for diseases including measles, mumps and rubella, she would not be keen on her own daughter getting jabbed against Covid because of safety concerns surrounding the rare heart condition myocarditis.
But other mothers say the decision on whether to receive a vaccine should rest with children themselves.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid has already told the NHS to prepare to administer Covid vaccines to over-12s, while Nicola Sturgeon says Scotland is also ready to inoculate the age group should the plans get the green light from the JCVI.
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