A tragic incident occurred when a 28-year-old man, Alex Reid, died after receiving the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine due to a medical records error. The mistake occurred almost 20 years ago when Reid was wrongly classified as morbidly obese. An inquest revealed that Reid would not have received the vaccine if not for this error in his medical records.
Reid’s parents expressed their grief and criticized AstraZeneca and the government for disregarding the small number of individuals who have died or experienced serious complications from blood clots caused by the vaccine. They accused them of prioritizing the speedy rollout of the vaccine during the pandemic. Reid, an operations controller from Leeds, received his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 21. However, by the time he was scheduled for his second dose on May 18, the government had already recommended alternative vaccines for individuals under 30 due to the rare risk of blood clots associated with AstraZeneca.
Reid tragically passed away on June 29, 2021, from vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), a condition linked to AstraZeneca’s vaccine. The coroner for West Yorkshire concluded that if Reid had not received the AstraZeneca vaccine, he would not have died when he did. The cause of death was officially recorded as VITT.
Families and victims affected by the vaccine’s rare side effects are planning to sue AstraZeneca in legal claims that could amount to £80 million in compensation. Reid’s parents have been fighting for a thorough investigation into their son’s death for the past two years. They expressed their devastation at losing their only remaining son, having tragically lost their first son to cardiac arrest when he was 19.
The parents also criticized the government’s decision to indemnify AstraZeneca and other vaccine manufacturers against legal actions related to adverse reactions. They believe that the compensation scheme provided by the government is inadequate and does not address the needs of affected families and victims.
Reid’s parents, along with other bereaved families and victims, are seeking justice and acknowledgement from both the government and AstraZeneca for the deaths and injuries caused by the vaccine. They highlighted that some European countries restricted or stopped using the AstraZeneca vaccine due to safety concerns.
The parents expressed their concern about the pressure placed on young people to get vaccinated and emphasized that Reid did the right thing by following the government’s instructions. However, they believe that not enough information was provided about the serious risks associated with the vaccine. They also criticized the government for prioritizing speed over safety during the vaccine rollout.
AstraZeneca stated that patient safety is their highest priority and they are committed to investigating any adverse events related to their vaccine.
