Union health minister JP Nadda informed the parliament that a study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has conclusively shown that COVID-19 vaccination does not increase the risk of unexplained sudden death among youngsters in India.

The study has suggested that vaccination lowers the odds of such deaths.

There have been increasing instances of reports of deaths of young adults suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. The rising numbers raised concerns that they might be related to COVID-19 or the vaccination against the disease, which prompted researchers to carry out the study, conducted jointly by the ICMR and the National Institute of Epidemiology.

Speaking at Rajya Sabha, Nadda assured that a robust adverse event following immunization (AEFI) surveillance system has been established to track vaccine-related side effects.

He also highlighted measures for timely medical intervention, including mandatory observation of vaccine recipients for 30 minutes after vaccination and the availability of anaphylaxis kits at vaccination sites. Nadda said to increase awareness about AEFI, states have been issued guidelines by the Health Ministry to enhance reporting of vaccine-related adverse events, and that information materials were being shared in multiple languages.

Nadda also informed the Parliament that the study provides important insights and clarity regarding the safety of the COVID-19 vaccination and counters misconceptions linking it to unexplained sudden deaths.

According to the ICMR, the research focused on individuals aged 18-45 years who were apparently healthy with no known co-morbidities and who died suddenly from unexplained causes between October 1, 2021, and March 31, 2023.

Spread across 47 tertiary care hospitals in 19 states and Union Territories, the study included cases of 729 sudden deaths and 2,916 controls in the analysis. The findings revealed that receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine—especially two doses—significantly reduced the likelihood of unexplained sudden death.

According to the study, several factors that have increased the risk of sudden death have been identified, which include:

• A history of COVID-19 hospitalization
• A family history of sudden death
• Binge-drinking 48 hours before death
• Use of recreational drugs
• Vigorous physical activity within 48 hours before death

What is a Sudden Cardiac Arrest?

Experts say a sudden cardiac arrest happens when your heart stops beating or beats so fast that it stops pumping blood, leading to collapse. Symptoms of the condition start without warning and that is why it is called a sudden cardiac arrest.

According to doctors, this life-threatening condition can become fatal if you do not get immediate treatment.

Since your heart stops pumping blood within minutes, it puts your organs and whole body at risk of death because they must constantly receive oxygen delivered by constant circulation.

Emergency treatment includes cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR and defibrillation. While CPR keeps enough oxygen in your lungs and gets it to your brain, an electric shock restores a normal heart rhythm. CPR and defibrillators may save your life.

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