- Deaths raise fears of contaminated vaccine amid conspiratorial silence
Three persons were reported to have died in Edo State after taking the Moderna vaccine for COVID-19, thus raising the fears that a batch of contaminated Modena vaccine might have found their way into the state.
The number could be more. Until reported, the figure may not be known.
John Ogie reportedly died after taking a shot of the vaccine. He was an elder brother of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Barrister Osarodion Ogie.
Although the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Publicity Secretary in the State, Chris Nehikhare confirmed that John Ogie died from COVID-19 affliction, yet there were reports that John Ogie actually went to be vaccinated and got a jab after which he died. It was not known whether he died immediately or hours after.
He reportedly took the jab to preserve himself against COVID-19 but died from the virus raising fears that he might have either contracted the virus before he took the jab or he might have taken a contaminated vaccine.
The CONCLAVE also learnt that a pentecostal pastor in Benin whose wife is also a pastor took the vaccine and died hours after.
A local government staff member in Edo North Senatorial zone was said to have experienced shock and died consequent upon taking the Moderna shot.
There has not been an official reaction yet to the reports doing the rounds of death after Moderna vaccine shots in the state.
A source on Thursday (September 8, 2021) night hinted at conspiracy of silence in government circles even with the death of an elder brother of the SSG.
The SSG has kept mute over the development. The announcement of his elder brother’s death was made by the PDP state publicist.
The development about deaths post-Moderna shots is unravelling amid concerns over the directive by the State Government on the watch of Governor Godwin Obaseki that the people of the state must get vaccinated to be allowed access into public institutions and places.
Meanwhile, the State had as of the time of publication of this report only stocked 67,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine.
The figure is a far cry from the population of the state.
It is an insignificant number in a State with an estimated human population of 3.2 million.
A keen watcher of the development told The CONCLAVE that even if the people were compelled and were ready to take the vaccines, 67,000 doses could not meet the demand or requirement of 3.2 million people.
Recall that no cases of shock and death were associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine that were administered countrywide before the introduction of Moderna vaccine in Nigeria.
There were fears that the number of deaths on account of the side effects of the Moderna vaccine or fatal effects of its contamination may be many without the relevant authorities being able yet to implicate the cause(s) of deaths of some people after taking the Moderna shots.
Very recently, 1.6m Moderna doses were withdrawn in Japan over reported contamination.
The Moderna vaccine against COVID-19 was cleared in May for emergency use in Japan.
But reports said that about 1.6 million doses of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine had been taken out of use in Japan because of contamination reported in some vials, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said Thursday, last week.
Several vaccination centers had reported that vaccine vials contained foreign matter, according to an announcement from the ministry, which added it would seek to minimize the impact of the withdrawal on the country’s inoculation programme.
Two were reported dead in Japan after shots from suspended Moderna vaccines
Moderna reportedly found stainless steel particles in shots pulled in Japan
The ministry said later in the day that the substance that had been mixed in may have been metal.
“It’s a substance that reacts to magnets,” a ministry official said. “It could be metal.”
Takeda Pharmaceutical handles distribution of the U.S.-developed Moderna vaccine in Japan.
Nasdaq-listed Moderna confirmed receiving “several complaints of particulate matter” in vaccine vials distributed in Japan but said it had found “no safety or efficacy issues” related to these reports.
“The company is investigating the reports and remains committed to working transparently and expeditiously with its partner, Takeda, and regulators to address any potential concerns,” a Moderna spokesperson told Nikkei, saying the drugmaker believed a “manufacturing issue” at a plant in Spain was the cause.
The vaccine lot in question and two adjacent lots have been put on hold “out of an abundance of caution,” the spokesperson said.
The Japanese ministry has not halted the use of Moderna vaccines in other batches, deeming them safe.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters on Thursday afternoon, last week, that he had instructed the ministry to look into the case with safety as the top priority, adding he had received reports that the withdrawal “won’t have a significant impact on the country’s vaccination campaign.”
The Moderna vaccine was granted emergency-use authorization in Japan in May.
Reuters in its report said that two people died after receiving Moderna Inc COVID-19 vaccine shots that were among lots later suspended following the discovery of contaminants. It quoted Japan’s health ministry which spoke on the issue last Saturday.
The men in their 30s died this month within days of receiving their second Moderna doses, the ministry said in a release.
Each had a shot from one of three manufacturing lots suspended on Thursday, last week.
The causes of death are being investigated. (Additional reports: Nikkei and Reuters)
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