How the VAERS followup process hides death reports
If someone dies between the time of the original and the followup report, the followup report is deleted, but the DIED status is not updated to 'Yes'
Someone left this comment on my previous article:
Only publishing initial reports begs the question, how many people are now since dead in VAERS?
It is a non-zero number, meaning anyone who is using VAERS to analyze this information is certainly undercounting the total number of deaths.
Also, whether or not intentional, it is also very hard to locate the original reports for the deleted death reports. I would even say it is harder to locate the original reports for deleted death reports (on average), than it is to locate the original for the deleted non-death reports. If anything, I would expect it to be the exact opposite.
Some examples
First I will provide some examples of this pattern.
Example 1
71 M RI
Vaccinated:2021-02-19
Onset:2021-02-20
RECVDATE: 2021-02-21
DIED: 2021-02-23
RECVDATE: 2021-04-17
My husband received his first dose of the COVID Pfizer vaccine. 12 hours later he collapsed and died 3 days later. I initially reported this adverse event to VAERS as sudden cardiac arrest. The doctors could find no reasonable cause (clean CAT scan, EKG clear, no evidence of coronary artery diease, etc) for patient''s sudden illness. On review of his medical records that I received after he died, in addition to cardiac arrest which is listed in the medicla record as "difficult to determine precipitating cause", he is also listed as having a D-Dimer test of 3,094 (range 0-300); low platelets, thrombocytopenia, unexplainable hemoorrhaging from his mouth and nose without any evidence of trauma. He was treated with heparin, but it was later stopped due to the volume of blood and clots that needed to be suctioned. Given the recent information about thrombocytopenia after vaccination with other manufacturers, I would like the patient''s case to be more carefully reviewed by VAERS.
Example 2
70 F WA
Vaccinated:2021-02-26
Onset:2021-02-26
RECVDATE: 2021-02-28
DIED: 2022-10-31
RECVDATE: 2023-01-09
Throwing up, blood sugar went to 600, went into coma never walked again. Died oct.31 2022
Example 3
77 F PA
Vaccinated:2021-01-21
Onset:2021-01-28
RECVDATE: 2021-02-04
DIED: 2021-04-20
RECVDATE: 2021-04-23
Reported Cause(s) of Death: asthma
Example 4
76 M TX
Vaccinated:2021-02-04
Onset:2021-02-16
RECVDATE: 2021-03-02
DIED: 2021-03-04
RECVDATE: 2021-04-15
Stroke Pulmonary Embolism Liver failure Kidney Failure
Example 5
61 F MA
Vaccinated:2021-03-05
Onset:2021-03-06
RECVDATE: 2021-03-17
DIED: 2021-03-18
RECVDATE: 2021-04-17
My sister, received the J & J vaccine on March 5th. I now know that she was not feeling well for a few days afterwards. She then felt better until day nine after the vaccine. On the evening of the ninth day, she began having abdominal pain, vomiting & diarrhea, headache. This was Sunday evening. Unfortunately I wasn?t aware of how she was feeling and she didn?t go to the emergency rm. until Tuesday morning. Tests determined her platelet level was low and abdominal CT showed bleeding from her adrenal glands. She was given platelets, pain meds and admitted into the hospital. Later that night staff felt she wasn?t responsive and a head CT was performed. It was determined she had a brain hemorrhage and emergency surgery was performed. It is my understanding that there was brain damage at that point. During the early morning hours of the 10th day, post surgery, a repeat CT scan was done showing more hemorrhaging and blood clots. She also developed a DVT and PE and was kept on a respirator until the 13th day post vaccine to allow family to say their goodbyes. On the morning of the 13th day patient was removed from life support and she passed.
Example 6
50 M CA
Vaccinated:2021-03-18
Onset:2021-03-18
RECVDATE: 2021-03-20
DIED: 2021-03-27
RECVDATE: 2021-04-16
Cardiac Arrest 20min after vaccine administered on site.
Example 7
49 M TX
Vaccinated:2021-03-12
Onset:2021-03-23
RECVDATE: 2021-03-24
DIED: 2021-03-25
RECVDATE: 2021-04-14
lobar cerebral hemorrhage
Example 8
40 M MS
Vaccinated:2021-03-13
Onset:2021-04-10
RECVDATE: 2021-04-07
DIED: 2021-04-10
RECVDATE: 2021-04-16
Patient received his first of the series of two Covid vaccinations on March 13, 2021. He was scheduled for his second dose on Friday, April 9, 2021; however, he did not show up for the appointment. Two phone calls were made to his phone on April 9 that were both unanswered. We learned of his death on Monday, April 12, from a media post. Dr., Medical Director of the Health Center, placed a call to the county coroner on April 15 to inquire and make him aware of his Covid-19 vaccination. Per the coroner, on an undetermined date between March 13 and April 9, 2021, Patient reportedly developed symptoms including back pain and polydipsia. He stated that Patient went to an undetermined clinic the week of April 4 ? 9 and was tested for Covid-19. From the description of from the patient''s partner, Patient probably had a rapid Covid test and a PCR Covid test. These reportedly returned as negative for Covid. According to Coroner, they found him deceased in his apartment on April 10, 2021. Coroner sent the body to forensic pathologist, Dr., for an autopsy. The autopsy in incomplete at this time, but Dr. told Coroner that the ?organs looked anemic? and ?the lungs looked bad.? The final autopsy findings will not be available for approximately 1 ? 2 weeks. There are other reports that Patient was obese and had voluntarily lost about 30 pounds recently but ?didn?t feel good.?
Example 9
69 F OH
Vaccinated:2021-04-05
Onset:2021-04-06
RECVDATE: 2021-04-08
DIED: 2021-04-11
RECVDATE: 2021-04-21
Reported Cause(s) of Death: Severe adverse reaction including vomiting that ended in death
Example 10
73 F NH
Vaccinated:2021-04-16
Onset:2021-05-14
RECVDATE: 2021-05-18
DIED: 2021-08-08
RECVDATE: 2021-08-12
28 days post injection developed Guillain-Barre syndrome which she ultimately died from due to infectious complications.
Example 11
76 F MI
Vaccinated: 2021-12-02
Onset: 2021-12-04
RECVDATE: 2021-12-09
DIED: 2021-12-15
RECVDATE: 2021-12-27
As you can see from this list, all these reports should have been marked as DIED=Y, but the original reports still show ‘Unknown’ status.
Patient is DECEASED (12.15.21); Hospitalized (12.4.21); COVID-19 positive (12.4.21); fully vaccinated PLUS booster Admission Date: 12/4/2021 Date of Death: 12/15/21 Time of Death: 11:30 AM DETAILS OF HOSPITAL STAY: PRESENTING PROBLEM: Generalized weakness COVID-19 HOSPITAL COURSE: Patient is a 76-year-old female with a primary medical history of atrial fib anticoagulated with Eliquis, heart failure EF of 65%, hypertension, nephrotic syndrome, pulmonary embolus who presented to the ER on December 4, 2021 after fall at home and progressive weakness. Patient was vaccinated for COVID-19. She tested positive for COVID-19 while in the ER. Patient was admitted to the hospital for progressive weakness, shortness of breath with activity, cough. At the time of her admission, patient was not requiring oxygen. However over the course of her admission, COVID-19 started to progress. Patient was outside the window for treatment with remdesivir. She was started on Decadron and supportive care therapy for treatment of COVID-19. She initially required oxygen nasal cannula. Unfortunately,patient started to deteriorate and required increased supplemental oxygen eventually graduating to high-flow nasal cannula with non-rebreather. During hospitalization patient was adamant that she was a do not resuscitate/DNI. During admission, patient continued to require supplemental oxygen via high-flow nasal cannula, non-rebreather, and eventually required CPAP. She continued to decline intubation. She also had declined comfort care during admission and had wanted to continue medical management of COVID-19. On the evening of December 14th into December 15th, patient started to experience anxiety, increased work of breathing, and stated to the nurse that she no longer wanted to wear CPAP. It was explained to patient that this could be detrimental to her physical health. Patient requested that her family be called in and present at the bedside. Patient was prescribed Ativan and morphine for anxiety and air hunger and patient was agreeable to wearing high-flow nasal cannula and non-rebreather until family arrived. Patient oxygen saturations were in the 70s. Patient continued to refuse CPAP and also declined to wear non-rebreather at this time and would only where high-flow nasal cannula. Family was present at the bedside. This morning, patient was resting appears peaceful but was not responsive. Discussion was had with the family this morning in the presence of the patient and it was decided that patient would proceed on comfort care. Comfort care orders were placed and patient was placed in comfort care. The family was present at the bedside. Patient passed at 11:30 a.m. on December 15, 2021.
Example 12
77 F IN
Vaccinated: 2021-12-16
Onset: 2021-12-25
RECVDATE: 2022-03-07
DIED: 2022-05-08
RECVDATE: 2022-05-11
Patient, my mother, received the Pfizer Covid booster on 12/16/21. Prior to this, she was an active and healthy 77 year old. By Christmas, family could visibly see neurological symptoms. By February, symptons had become extreme to the point of hospitalization. She was admitted to the hospital and subsequent care facilities over the next nine weeks. Patient passed away as a result of her injuries on 5/8/22. Original symptoms looked like a TIA and then a major stroke, however multiple CT and MRIs verified no storke. Her left arm lost 100% function. She was unable to swallow or speak. Her muscle weakness progressed until she was unable to stand. A PEG tube was placed to try to prolong diagnosi, however the muscle deterioration continued at a fast and furious pace. She had no known underlying conditions and there is no family history of neurological diseases.
Are there more such reports?
I think it is quite possible that there are more such reports where the patient died between the original and followup reports.
But there is something about the original reports in these situations which makes it quite hard to find matches, as the fields are usually quite poorly translated.
Here is an example:
What actually happened here? How did the wrong dates for the vaccination date and symptom onset get into the original report?
Later in Nov 2021, they changed the status on the original report for the DIED field from No to Yes. But why did they update this information alone but not the rest?
Maybe this is just a one-off, but these kind of issues certainly make it much harder to accurately match the followup death reports with the original ones.
Quantifying missed death reports
So let us consider these “missed” death reports where the patient died, but there is no equivalent death report in public VAERS. I would like to quantify these in a future article. And to do that, I definitely need to improve my current matching algorithm and make it do better “fuzzy” matching.
For now, I will provide some stats:
There are a total of 315 unique VAERS_IDs in the deleted death reports for US
Of these, I was able to find some match for 161 of them. You can find them by filtering for IS_MATCH = ‘✅’ in the list.
As I mentioned, the algorithm itself needs some fine tuning. You should expect to see true positives, false positives, true negatives as well as false negatives in the list above.
And I was not able to find any match at all for 154 reports:
Good work you are doing here. I realise that each entry would have it's own unique ID code but should such databases have the ability to enter this so that updates be made with further outcomes? I realise this info may not be to hand but the full data would contain name DOB, address, phone no. etc. so a quick search by data inputter could easily find previous report, or not. They certainly seem to be sweeping these sad deaths under the carpet!