If you have come across a social media forward or someone suggesting that COVID-19 vaccines are to blame for heart attacks, you are not alone. Ever since sudden cardiac deaths started making headlines in Karnataka’s Hassan district, the internet has been abuzz with misinformation.
In a bid to clear the air, the Karnataka government set up an expert committee, headed by Dr Ravindranath, Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research. The team was tasked with diving deep into the recent spate of over 20 heart attack-related deaths in Hassan.
No link between COVID-19 vaccination and premature cardiovascular disease
The committee categorically ruled out any link between COVID-19 vaccination and premature cardiovascular disease, reported PTI. Instead of pointing fingers at the jab, the panel redirected attention to the usual suspects—hypertension, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol, and yes, our fast-food-fuelled, chair-bound lifestyles.
But what about that lingering post-COVID “something’s not right” feeling?
The report acknowledges that a short-term increase in cardiac events post-COVID recovery can occur due to residual inflammation. However, this spike does not extend into the long term and certainly is not connected to vaccination. So, while the virus itself might leave a temporary mark on your cardiovascular system, the vaccine is only helpful.
Another Study led by AIIMS, Delhi
AIIMS Delhi and ICMR have also been conducting a parallel study tracking sudden deaths among the young. Preliminary findings? Most of these cases are still rooted in good old myocardial infarctions (heart attacks), with no mysterious post-vaccine pattern to pin the blame on. In some of these unfortunate instances, underlying genetic mutations were identified as the silent culprits.
What the Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Says
She pointed out that the vaccines were not greenlit in haste but were rolled out under globally recognised Emergency Use Authorisation protocols. Her message was clear: vaccines have saved millions of lives, and sowing doubt now only fuels fear, not facts.
“COVID-19 vaccines developed in India were approved under the Emergency Use Authorisation framework, following rigorous protocols aligned with global standards for safety and efficacy. "To suggest that these vaccines were ‘hastily’ approved is factually incorrect and contributes to public misinformation." she said.
“These vaccines have saved millions of lives and, like all vaccines, may cause side effects in a very small number of individuals. It is important to acknowledge the science and data-driven processes behind their development, rather than engage in retrospective blame,” she further wrote on X.
The Ministry of Health also stepped in to reiterate the study's findings: There is no scientific evidence linking COVID-19 vaccines to heart attacks. In fact, over time, vaccination may actually offer some protection against cardiac issues by reducing the severity of COVID-related complications.
What should you be worried about instead?
Your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and that third helping of junk food. Your genes, your stress levels, and whether you’ve been keeping yourself physically active or just being a couch potato.
