Post COVID-19 vaccine deaths - Singapore's early experience

Audrey Yeo; Benjamin Kuek; Mandy Lau; Shi Rui Tan; Shijia Chan

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2022.111199

Post COVID-19 vaccine deaths - Singapore's early experience

Forensic Sci Int. 2022 Mar:332:111199. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2022.111199. Epub 2022 Jan 19.

Authors

Audrey Yeo¹, Benjamin Kuek², Mandy Lau², Shi Rui Tan², Shijia Chan²

Affiliations

¹ Forensic Medicine Division, Applied Sciences Group, Health Sciences Authority, Singapore. Electronic address: audrey_yeo@hsa.gov.sg.
² Forensic Medicine Division, Applied Sciences Group, Health Sciences Authority, Singapore.

Abstract

Singapore has been using mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna as part of the nation's COVID vaccination program since 30 December 2020. From 1 February 2021-30 June 2021, a total of 34 deaths that occurred within 72 h of the deceased receiving their COVID-19 vaccination were referred to the Forensic Medicine Division of the Health Sciences Authority of Singapore. Autopsies, histological sampling and ancillary investigations consisting of total tryptase level, Immunoglobulin E (IgE), and C-reactive Protein (CRP), were performed on 29 of these cases. Our study has shown no definite causative relationship between the mRNA vaccination and deaths of individuals who died within 72 h after receiving the vaccination, in particular with regards to anaphylactic reactions, myocarditis and pericarditis, and thrombotic complications. Further studies may consider increasing the incident time frame from 72 h to seven days post-vaccination or longer to include any potential delayed presentation of adverse effects.

Keywords: COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccination; Forensic pathology; Singapore.