Two people have died in Suriname after being vaccinated for COVID-19

The Suriname Ministry of Health has been notified of two deaths in Suriname, of individuals recently vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine. Minister Ammar Ramadan expressed his sincere condolences to the families on this painful loss.

In a press release, the ministry stated the following:

In accordance with national and international protocol, Suriname monitors and investigates reports of post-vaccination concerns and these reports are taken very seriously as safety is our primary concern. For each of these reported cases, a detailed investigation is conducted by the AEFI.

To date, it has been confirmed worldwide that there are no deaths following vaccination with the vaccine currently used in Suriname related to the vaccine. The WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GAVCS), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the United Kingdom have investigated reports of potentially serious adverse events, including deaths, all of which are under review. There is no association with the vaccine. The benefits of using AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh the potential risks, including very rare serious events.

The risk of serious illness, death, or hospitalization from a COVID-19 infection is very serious. Vaccination is one of the most important tools for preventing COVID-19 and ending the epidemic in the near future.

Both the World Health Organization and the European Medicines Agency advise that countries continue to vaccinate the AstraZeneca vaccine to save lives and prevent dangerous diseases.

With Suriname now entering the third wave of the epidemic and the three worrisome variants of the virus present, it is now important to vaccinate individuals.

Since the benefits of the vaccine outweigh its risks, the Ministry of Health recommends that AstraZeneca be continued to be used in the fight against COVID-19. This decision was made after extensive consultations with Surinamese infection specialists and the Vaccination Technical Advisory Committee.

Individuals who have been vaccinated are encouraged to report any concerns to their primary care physician or seek immediate medical attention if they have severe symptoms such as persistent and severe headache, difficulty breathing, or persistent chest or abdominal pain.

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