MOH Says Death of 57YO Man, Who Died After Receiving 1st COVID-19 Shot, Was Not Due to Vaccine

On 6 March, a 57-year-old private hire driver named Yak Hock Hwa collapsed after his vaccine shot, and could not be resuscitated.

The tragic event challenged some people’s faith in the vaccine: could the COVID-19 shot have caused Mr Yak’s heart attack, which ultimately led to his death?

After an independent investigation, the conclusion was no: the timing of his death was an unfortunate coincidence.

Death of 57YO Man Not Due to Vaccine

According to the Ministry of Health (MOH), an independent clinical panel has assessed the circumstances surrounding Mr Yak’s death and determined that there is no indication his COVID-19 vaccination was responsible, The Straits Times reports.

He was determined to be suitable for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and was observed on-site for about half an hour after the vaccination without adverse reactions.

However, he had a history of hypertension and diabetes, which may have contributed to the heart attack that led to his demise.

Currently, there are no deaths judged to be a result of the COVID-19 vaccine in Singapore.

The man’s family previously revealed to TODAYonline that he did not have previous heart problems, and they urged the authorities to elaborate on how they reached the conclusion of their investigation.

They are seeking support from the Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme (VIFAP), a one-time payout made by the government for those who experience serious side effects as a result of their vaccination.

No Evidence That Vaccines Can Directly Cause Heart Attacks

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) reported on 6 May that there has been no anomalous increase in cases of heart attacks or strokes among vaccinated people after more than two million shots have been administered.

Because a large number of people—more than one-fifth of the population—have been vaccinated, it is likely that some will experience adverse medical events by chance following the vaccination, according to The Straits Times.

There has been no evidence so far that vaccines can cause heart attacks or strokes, which can happen spontaneously and may be related to other underlying conditions. This is also the case in the United States, where more than 240 million shots have already been delivered.

The incidence of serious adverse events suspected to be associated with vaccination remains very low, with 95 reported by 18 April, representing 0.004% of the total doses administered. 

Those who do experience adverse reactions to the vaccine can seek compensation from VIFAP, which will issue a payout ranging from S$2,000 to S$225,000 for the most serious cases resulting in death or disability.

To date, the most widely-reported side effects of vaccines globally are rare, potentially lethal blood clots related to the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson shots. These vaccines are not used here as of yet and employ a different technology from those approved in Singapore.

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