Of 1.15 million jabbed in Ludhiana, just 20 complain of after-effects

Nitin Jain

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 28

In what appears to be a clear message against hesitancy and unfounded misconceptions about the Covid vaccine, just 20 of the over 1.15 million beneficiaries inoculated against the dreaded virus have so far complained of after-effects following immunisation (AEFI) in Ludhiana district, the government has confirmed.

• Also read: Covid-19: Two succumb, 35 test +ve in Ludhiana

Even as Ludhiana, being the biggest and most populated district of Punjab, has topped the state in reporting maximum serious, second highest severe and third highest minor AEFI cases, all such cases have recovered from the illness they had reportedly suffered following the inoculation, the official figures have revealed. However, two of the total three deaths following Covid immunisation reported in the state so far pertained to Ludhiana district.

While one of the victims was a 57-year-old man suffering from tuberculosis with one lung damaged, who died five days after being vaccinated on April 14, the 36-year-old woman died on the same day after being immunised on May 14.

The state AEFI committee has classified the male patient’s death as “coincidental event”, while woman’s death was classified as “indeterminate event as a potential signal”.

The data analysed by the Health and Family Welfare Department, which is available with The Tribune, showed that a total of 170 AEFI cases have been reported in the state so far, of which 20 were of severe nature, 13 serious and maximum 137 were minor.

Ludhiana and Patiala districts reported a maximum of four serious AEFI cases each, Ludhiana and Bathinda second highest three severe cases each, and Ludhiana registered third highest 13 minor AEFI cases in the state.

Among other districts, Sangrur and Patiala topped the chart with a maximum of four severe cases each, followed by Ferozepur and Fazilka two each, Mohali and Kapurthala reported one such case each.

In the serious category, Bathinda and Sangrur registered two cases each and Mohali reported one such case.

Of the total 137 minor AEFI cases, Amritsar topped Punjab with maximum of 36 cases, followed by Kapurthala 17, Sangrur 12, Jalandhar 11, Tarn Taran 10, Patiala seven, Mohali five, Pathankot four, Bathinda and Moga three each, Barnala, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Mansa, Muktsar and Ropar two each and Nawanshahr reported one such case.

While all 137 minor AEFI patients have since recovered and discharged from various hospitals where they were admitted, 30 of the total 33 severe and serious cases have also since recovered and returned home following treatment.

Classification

The state committee to study and analyse the after-effects following immunisation (AEFI) cases has reported that of the total 33 serious and severe cases, 15 were related to vaccine product, five of anxiety reaction, seven coincidental events, five indeterminate and a single case of immunisation error.