New Delhi: AAP leader, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj expressed concern on Wednesday regarding the Indian government’s persistent promotion of the Covishield vaccine despite reports suggesting potential side effects.
“In 2021, a report emerged indicating possible side effects of Covishield, leading to its ban in several European countries. Despite this, the Indian government continued to organize vaccination camps for Covishield,” Bharadwaj alleged.
His comments followed AstraZeneca’s acknowledgment in a UK court that Covishield (known globally as Vaxzevria) may cause Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) in rare instances. AstraZeneca is currently facing a class-action lawsuit in the UK involving approximately 75 claimants.
Bharadwaj raised questions regarding the Central government’s strategy to address the potential risks associated with Covishield now that AstraZeneca has admitted to its possible adverse effects, including heart attacks.
“Now that the vaccine manufacturer itself has conceded the potential for heart attacks, what is the Central government’s plan?” Bharadwaj queried, stressing the urgency for the government to address the alleged side effects, considering the significant number of Indians vaccinated with Covishield.
Covishield, produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII), was marketed as the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in India. Bharadwaj also pointed out the rising speculation linking the vaccine to the sudden deaths of young individuals.
“We’ve witnessed numerous social media videos depicting individuals collapsing and dying shortly after engaging in activities, a phenomenon not prevalent before the pandemic. Speculation linking these occurrences to the coronavirus vaccine is concerning and requires attention,” he noted.
He stressed the need for the government to investigate and mitigate any potential side effects experienced by individuals, particularly focusing on the significant number of young casualties.
The claimants in the UK lawsuit reported complications such as TTS, resulting in blood clot formation and abnormally low platelet counts. Some have lost relatives, while others have survived but with severe injuries, including stroke, heart failure, and leg amputations.
