Government: No deaths arising from vaccinations in Gibraltar
The Government has said that there have been no deaths arising from the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Gibraltar.
As at close of business yesterday 26th January, 11,073 persons had received a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine in Gibraltar.
The Gibraltar Health Authority has today confirmed that there is no evidence that any of those 11,073 who have been vaccinated in Gibraltar have died as a result of any reaction to the vaccine. The Government says that statements to the contrary on social media are “entirely untrue” and that such statements originate from “discredited individuals and organisations.”
A statement continued: “Of the over 11,000 who have been vaccinated, six persons have since died for reasons unrelated to the vaccination and there is no evidence to link these to the vaccination in any way.
“These 6 persons appear to have contracted COVID-19 before they were vaccinated but, despite testing for COVID-19 before vaccination, the infection had not been detected in them at the time they were vaccinated, but in the days immediately after.
“All of these persons were in the age range 70 to 100. All but one was a resident of the Government of Gibraltar Elderly Residential Services facilities.
“The Gibraltar Health Authority can confirm that there is no evidence at all of any causal link between these six deaths and the inoculation with the Pfizer vaccine.
“95% of all those over 70 contacted for vaccination in Gibraltar have agreed to the inoculation and have already had a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. The second dose will start to be administered to them as from Monday.”
The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said: “There is no evidence of any deaths in Gibraltar arising from inoculations with the Pfizer vaccine. It is untrue to suggest otherwise and people should not believe the dangerous nonsense being put out on social media by discredited individuals that suggests the opposite. We are continuing to work with the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the Department of Health and Social Care in rolling out the vaccine in Gibraltar and ensuring that we have in place systems to use all the doses that become available as quickly as possible. Immunisation is the best and only strategy to safely emerge from the difficulties that the pandemic has created for nations and communities around the world. In partnership with the United Kingdom, we will turn the corner against the virus.”
