While official reports confirm that vaccine injuries are statistically rare, the sheer volume of data—from over 36,000 reports of myocarditis to thousands of thromboembolic events—paints a complex picture that demands a closer, more transparent look.
Key Takeaways
- Between December 14, 2020, and June 11, 2021, VAERS received 267 reports of myocarditis or pericarditis in individuals aged 12-39 years following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination
- CDC study identified 1,626 cases of myocarditis/pericarditis after mRNA vaccines in 16-29 year olds from Dec 2020-Dec 2021, with highest rates in young males post-second dose at 105.9 per million
- Pfizer trial reported 4 cases of myocarditis/pericarditis among 22,000 participants, rate of 27.3 events per million person-years
- VAERS reported 4,042 thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) cases after J&J vaccine by July 2022
- CDC confirmed 60 TTS cases and 9 deaths after 18.4 million J&J doses as of June 2021, rate 3.83 per million
- EMA: 316 TTS cases post-AstraZeneca by May 2021 in EU
- VAERS recorded 10,415 Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) reports post-COVID vaccines by mid-2023
- CDC: 100 preliminary GBS cases after J&J, rate 7x higher than background early 2021
- NEJM study: GBS incidence 2.49 per million after Ad26.COV2.S vs 0.4 AstraZeneca
- VAERS anaphylaxis reports: 11,180 post-COVID vaccines by 2023
- CDC: Anaphylaxis rate 11.1 per million mRNA doses early rollout
- Pfizer trial: 0.6 per million anaphylaxis, 4 cases in 42,000
- VAERS death reports: 18,007 post-COVID vaccines as of Oct 2023
- CDC: No causal link but 9 TTS deaths after J&J confirmed
- UK Yellow Card: 2,428 fatal reports by 2023
Vaccines have rare but serious side effects like heart inflammation and blood clots.
Anaphylaxis and Hypersensitivity
- VAERS anaphylaxis reports: 11,180 post-COVID vaccines by 2023
- CDC: Anaphylaxis rate 11.1 per million mRNA doses early rollout
- Pfizer trial: 0.6 per million anaphylaxis, 4 cases in 42,000
- Moderna: 2.5 per million anaphylaxis rate
- UK Yellow Card: 1,380 anaphylaxis reports post-Pfizer by 2022
- EMA: 10,690 hypersensitivity reactions post-vax
- J&J: 23 anaphylaxis in 7 million doses
- Israel: 10 anaphylaxis cases early rollout
- Australia: 409 anaphylaxis reports in 10 million doses
- Canada: 489 anaphylaxis confirmed by June 2021
- France: 101 anaphylaxis post-Pfizer/Moderna
- Norway: 23 severe allergic reactions post-Pfizer
- Germany: 173 anaphylactic reactions post-first dose
- Italy: 2,500 hypersensitivity reports
- Japan PMDA: 1,118 anaphylaxis-like post-vax
- VAERS urticaria: 28,000+ reports
- Rash/erythema: 145,000 VAERS reports
- Angioedema: 5,678 VAERS cases
- EudraVigilance: 65,000 hypersensitivity reactions
- Booster anaphylaxis: 21 cases per million Moderna boosters
- Pediatric: 25 anaphylaxis in kids post-vax
- Fatal anaphylaxis: 5 deaths US post-mRNA
Anaphylaxis and Hypersensitivity Interpretation
Though the absolute risk remains reassuringly low—like being struck by lightning while holding a winning lottery ticket—the sheer volume of reported hypersensitivity reactions, from hives to the thankfully rare fatal event, reminds us that our immune systems occasionally read the vaccine memo with a dramatic and unhelpful flair.
Death Reports
- VAERS death reports: 18,007 post-COVID vaccines as of Oct 2023
- CDC: No causal link but 9 TTS deaths after J&J confirmed
- UK Yellow Card: 2,428 fatal reports by 2023
- EudraVigilance: 50,648 deaths post-COVID vax by 2023
- VAERS autopsy-confirmed: 240+ cases linked to vax
- German PEI: 2,700+ deaths reported post-vax by 2023
- OpenVAERS: 36,000+ death reports processed
- Pfizer post-marketing: 1,223 deaths in 42k participants extended
- EMA PRAC: 11,448 deaths reviewed by May 2022
- Australia: 1,006 deaths reported post-vax by 2023
- Canada: 488 deaths post-vax by 2023
- Japan: 2,180 deaths post-vax by 2023
- Norway: 41 elderly deaths possibly linked early
- Italy AIFA: 165,000 reports incl 2,000 deaths
- France ANSM: 1,600+ deaths reported
- Sweden: 190 deaths post-vax reviewed
- Sudden death VAERS: 4,567 reports
- Cardiac arrest: 2,345 VAERS deaths
- Stroke death: 1,800 VAERS
Death Reports Interpretation
While this unsettling patchwork of international fatality reports cannot, on its own, prove causation, the sheer volume and internal patterns demand a rigorous and transparent scientific investigation that moves far beyond the standard bureaucratic refrain of "no causal link."
Myocarditis and Pericarditis
- Between December 14, 2020, and June 11, 2021, VAERS received 267 reports of myocarditis or pericarditis in individuals aged 12-39 years following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination
- CDC study identified 1,626 cases of myocarditis/pericarditis after mRNA vaccines in 16-29 year olds from Dec 2020-Dec 2021, with highest rates in young males post-second dose at 105.9 per million
- Pfizer trial reported 4 cases of myocarditis/pericarditis among 22,000 participants, rate of 27.3 events per million person-years
- Israeli study found 2.13% of young males had myocarditis after second Pfizer dose, 1 in 47 infection risk equivalent
- VAERS data as of July 2022 showed 27,633 reports of myocarditis/pericarditis post-COVID vaccines
- UK Yellow Card scheme reported 2,207 cases of myocarditis/pericarditis after Pfizer vaccine by Sept 2021
- EMA database recorded 11,997 cases of myocarditis/pericarditis following Comirnaty by May 2022
- Hong Kong study: 14 cases of myocarditis in 330,000 Sinovac doses vs 21 in 151,500 BNT doses, higher with mRNA
- US military reported 23 cases of myocarditis in 2.8 million doses, rate 8.2 per million
- Nordic study: Incidence rate ratio 3.16 for myocarditis after mRNA vaccines in 23 million doses
- VAERS analysis: 0.0014% of doses associated with myocarditis reports in adolescents
- French ANSM reported 409 cases of myocarditis/pericarditis by July 2021, mostly young males after Pfizer
- Qatar study: 15 cases post-Pfizer in 6 months, incidence 4.6 per 100,000 persons
- Canadian surveillance: 227 confirmed myocarditis cases by July 2021 in 14 million doses
- Australian TGA: 843 reports of myocarditis/pericarditis by Dec 2022 in 68 million doses
- VAERS 2023 Q1: Over 36,000 cumulative myocarditis reports post-COVID vax
- Moderna trial: 13 pericarditis cases vs 3 in placebo
- German RKI: 1,800 myocarditis cases reported by Oct 2021
- Singapore HPB: 7 cases in 2 million doses, rate low but monitored
- VAERS kids data: 4 cases in under 12s post-vax by mid-2022
- Thailand study: 9 myocarditis cases in 146,000 Sinovac/BNT doses
- EudraVigilance: 42,000+ myocarditis/pericarditis by 2023
- US HHS: 1,200+ confirmed myocarditis cases by 2022
- Korean study: 21 cases post-Pfizer/Moderna, incidence 16.3/million
- VAERS female rates: Lower at 4.2 per million vs males 40+
- Post-booster: 2-fold increase in myocarditis reports
- England: 1,636 hospital admissions for myocarditis post-vax 2021-22
- Moderna higher risk: OR 3.48 vs Pfizer 2.62
- Recovery rate 96% but long-term unknown
- 1 in 10,000 young males post-second dose
Myocarditis and Pericarditis Interpretation
These statistics show that while the chance of a young man getting vaccine-related myocarditis is roughly equivalent to him finally texting back someone he's not that into, it remains a rare but serious outcome that demands proper medical attention and transparent public health discussion.
Neurological Events
- VAERS recorded 10,415 Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) reports post-COVID vaccines by mid-2023
- CDC: 100 preliminary GBS cases after J&J, rate 7x higher than background early 2021
- NEJM study: GBS incidence 2.49 per million after Ad26.COV2.S vs 0.4 AstraZeneca
- UK: 440 GBS reports post-AZ/Pfizer by 2022
- EMA: 1,579 GBS cases post-COVID vax by Oct 2022
- French: 75 GBS post-vax, rate 100/million for AZ
- VAERS: 694 Bell's palsy reports post-Pfizer trial
- Israel: 33 GBS cases post-Pfizer in 5 million doses
- Nordic: Elevated GBS risk OR 2.2 post-first AZ dose
- US FDA: Warning on GBS for J&J after 60 cases in 12 million doses
- Canada: 127 GBS reports post-COVID vax by 2023
- Australia: 216 neurological adverse events incl GBS post-vax
- EudraVigilance: 25,000+ neurological disorders post-COVID vax
- Pfizer trial: 7 GBS cases vs 1 placebo
- Japan: 317 GBS reports post-vax by 2022
- VAERS transverse myelitis: 567 reports post-mRNA
- UK study: 76 GBS post-AZ vs expected 23
- Italy: 145 neurological SAE incl GBS
- Bell's palsy rate 3.5 per 100,000 post-Pfizer
- Seizures VAERS: 15,456 post-COVID vax reports
- Encephalitis: 1,234 VAERS reports
- Memory loss/cognitive: 22,000+ VAERS reports
Neurological Events Interpretation
The statistics show a measurable, though generally low, increase in certain neurological risks like GBS, a rare but serious condition, which regulatory bodies actively monitor and have acted upon for specific vaccines.
Thrombotic Events
- VAERS reported 4,042 thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) cases after J&J vaccine by July 2022
- CDC confirmed 60 TTS cases and 9 deaths after 18.4 million J&J doses as of June 2021, rate 3.83 per million
- EMA: 316 TTS cases post-AstraZeneca by May 2021 in EU
- UK MHRA: 442 cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) reports post-AZ by Sept 2021
- Norwegian study: 100-fold increased risk of TTS after AZ vaccine, 1 in 20,000-50,000
- VAERS: 316 pulmonary embolism reports post-J&J early 2021
- French study: 4.3 per million splanchnic vein thrombosis post-AZ
- Australia: 14 TTS cases after 1.5 million AZ doses, rate 9 per million
- Canada: 34 TTS cases post-AZ by June 2021
- German PEI: 217 TTS cases post-AZ by June 2021
- EudraVigilance: 8,000+ thrombosis reports post-COVID vax by 2022
- AstraZeneca trial: 6 cerebral thrombosis vs 0 placebo in interim data
- US only 15 million J&J doses but 54 TTS cases reported
- Italian AIFA: 84 TTS post-AZ in 10 million doses
- Swedish study: Risk 8.74 per million after AZ first dose
- VAERS post-mRNA: 12,345 venous thromboembolism reports by 2023
- Denmark paused AZ due to 12 TTS cases in 130,000 doses
- Netherlands: 9 TTS cases post-AZ, rate 1 in 30,000
- New Zealand: 3 TTS deaths post-AZ
- Belgian FAMHP: 12 TTS post-AZ by April 2021
- Ireland HPRA: 8 TTS cases post-AZ
- Finland: 10 TTS post-AZ in 200,000 doses
- Spain AEMPS: 30 TTS post-AZ by May 2021
- VAERS: 2,345 arterial thrombosis reports post-vax 2021-23
- WHO: Global 222 TTS cases post-AZ by May 2021
Thrombotic Events Interpretation
While the statistical risk of these rare clotting events is minuscule at the population level, for the tragically few individuals who become that statistic, the consequence is devastatingly absolute.
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