4. Serious and fatal adverse reactions have been reported

Both serious adverse effects and vaccine-related deaths have been reported in the UK [1], the US [2], and Europe [3].

Many of these did not occur during the trials, such as blood clots [4] (now known as vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia or VITT), which have been seen specifically in young adults. [5] [6] We are seeing increasing reports of Myocarditis after vaccination, particularly in young men. [7] [8] 

In the US, several children under the age of 18 have been reported to have died after a Covid-19 vaccine. [9]

Critics of the reporting systems for vaccine adverse events (such as the Yellow Card system in the UK and VAERS in the US) often point out that anyone can report a side-effect. Without further investigation, we can’t be sure that the condition is a result of the vaccine. This is true, and ideally there would be a more reliable process to capture all side effects. There isn’t however, and this is a real problem – we just don’t have accurate systems in place.

We can be fairly certain, however, that adverse events are under rather than over-reported. A 2010 federal study performed by Harvard consultants on behalf of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) found that fewer than 1% of all vaccine-related injuries are reported to VAERS in the US. [10] In the UK, our Government estimates that the Yellow Card system captures fewer than 10% of adverse drug reactions. [11]

Adverse reactions to the vaccines are being reported to Government monitoring schemes (such as UK Yellow Card and US VAERS) at a much higher rate than is usual with vaccines (see graph below).

MHRA Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) reports for all vaccines in the last 10 years (as of Aug 2021)