CDC to investigate death of Nebraska man who received Covid vaccine dose

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will investigate the death of a Nebraska man after local health officials listed the Covid-19 vaccine as one of several causes of death, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services said in a press release late Thursday.

The man, a long-term care facility resident in his late forties with several co-exisiting diseases and conditions, died on Jan. 17 between one and two weeks after receiving his first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to the statement.

The CDC and FDA received 1,170 reports of fatalities among individuals in the U.S. who received a Covid vaccine — 0.003% of vaccinated people — between Dec. 14, and Feb. 7. During this time, over 41 million doses of Pfizer or Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccines were administered across the country, according to the CDC.

“Typically, COVID-19 vaccine deaths can be attributed to anaphylaxis and occur within a relatively short period after the vaccine is given, which is why monitoring is done,” said Dr. Gary Anthone, Nebraska’s chief medical officer.

“While I cannot speculate on this case, when individuals die days or weeks after the vaccine has been administered, it is more likely due to other underlying factors,” Anthone said.

The death was entered into the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, a national vaccine safety surveillance program run by CDC and the Food and Drug Administration. All adverse events or fatalities must be reported to the system whenever they occur after vaccination.

“This process allows the CDC and FDA to closely monitor and assess any adverse events, for ongoing safety evaluations,” the state health department said in a statement.

The CDC has not reported any patterns in cause of death that would suggest safety issues with the vaccines.

Individuals with high-risk conditions should consult their medical providers regarding vaccination, Anthone said.