One week after his first dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in March last year, the unthinkable happened to Richard Todman. The 60-year-old part-time labor judge from north London suffered catastrophic blood clots in his gut. The disease can be life-threatening quickly, as clots can break and travel to other parts of the body, preventing blood and nutrients from reaching vital organs. In three weeks, Richard died.
A forensic report confirmed the cause: the blow caused clots that killed him. Needless to say, these complications are very rare. Blood clots are believed to occur in just seven out of every million people vaccinated, and of the 49 million Britons who have received two doses, the problem has contributed to just 24 deaths, according to data obtained from death certificates and recorded by the Office For National. Statistics.
However, it happens. Today, Richard’s wife, Attorney Deborah, is still struggling to accept the impact of his sudden death.
One week after his first dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in March last year, the unthinkable happened to Richard Todman, photographed with his wife Deborah. The 60-year-old part-time labor judge from north London suffered catastrophic blood clots in his gut. The disease can be life-threatening quickly, as clots can break and travel to other parts of the body, preventing blood and nutrients from reaching vital organs. In three weeks, Richard died
Some patients have had adverse reactions to Covid-19 vaccines, although billions have been inoculated without problems.
“He was a wonderful man who was the love of my life. We had no children, so we spent our lives together traveling the world and living adventures. His death was really the worst thing that could have ever happened.
Despite the lack of love, Deborah admits that Richard’s death was an anomaly. “Richard never hesitated to get the vaccine,” he says. “For him, it was the right thing to do.
His death certificate, seen by The Mail on Sunday, reads: “Richard Todman died of an extremely rare complication of the Covid-19 vaccine.”
However, according to Deborah, health officials have not openly acknowledged that the Covid vaccine was to blame for her husband’s death.
One year later, she has not yet received any financial support from the Department of Health, although the Government’s vaccine damage payment plan entitles families to a £ 120,000 payment if a loved one dies or becomes significantly disabled. as a result of a government. jab recommended.
“It’s not the money, of course, it’s not the money,” says Deborah, who hasn’t felt able to get back to work since Richard’s death. “But I’m upset that the authorities don’t say, ‘We’re sorry your life was ruined because of this blow, here’s something to make life a little easier.’
“Instead, I’ve been told I have to wait another six months for them to check my husband’s medical records to determine whether or not he died from the AstraZeneca vaccine.”
And Deborah is not alone. The Mail on Sunday has heard from other families who have faced a long struggle to get authorities to recognize that life-changing injuries resulted from the blow, as well as compensation, despite medical tests.
Official figures show that none of the 1,200 claims for Covid-19 vaccines have been paid.
The Mail on Sunday has long advocated vaccines against Covid-19 and has reinforced that, in addition to being effective, they are as safe as they can be. Our position remains strong, as scientists now have more evidence than ever before that this is really the case.
Another applicant who is still awaiting a funding decision is Jamie Scott, 44, a computer engineer from Warwickshire. The father of two suffered a cerebral haemorrhage the day after his first stroke of AstraZeneca in April last year and has been left with permanent brain damage. He appears here with his wife, Kate
More than 140 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have now been administered in the UK. However, the government has received less than 500 reports of serious complications. Most of these are related to the AstraZeneca jab, which carries the highest risk of blood clots, according to trials. It is important to note that these records are not corroborated by medical professionals, but are reported to the public as part of the Yellow Card Plan which allows patients to report if they believe the symptoms are related to a medication or vaccine.
Any medical intervention carries risks. However, for most of those who have had any of the Covid-19 strokes, the benefit has massively outweighed the extremely rare risks.
Professor Peter Openshaw, an expert on vaccines at Imperial College London, says: “Most of the people who received the blow have benefited and are better protected from the disease.”
Still, there are a few very unfortunate ones.
Experts speaking to The Mail on Sunday have warned that failure to properly address the ordeal facing these families could encourage distorted views by vaccine conspiracy theorists about the coup.
“If you’re not honest with the public about this and you acknowledge what’s happened to families, leave room for people to accuse the government of covering up vaccine information,” said Professor Richard Goldberg, a law professor at the University of Durham. and doctor. legal expert.
Many of the people who spoke to The Mail on Sunday are still advocates for the vaccine effort and believe they made the right decision at the time. But they have become the unfortunate few who, they say, have been rejected by health officials and parliamentarians, even though many cannot work now.
Last night, Conservative MP Sir Christopher Chope said: I hope that the Government will do the right thing and provide the victims with the necessary financial assistance, which is much more than the current rate of £ 120,000.
Last night, Conservative MP Sir Christopher Chope said: I hope the government does the right thing and provides the victims with the necessary financial assistance, which is much more than the current £ 120,000 rate.
Claire Hibbs, a 49-year-old construction officer from Hertfordshire, has not been able to work since she was vaccinated with AstraZeneca in March 2021. Five days later, the mother of two was fighting for her life in hospital with clots. of blood inside. lungs and liver. Doctors told him they believed the clots were caused by the vaccine.
Scientists believe that the pathogen in the AstraZeneca vaccine that increases our protection against the virus causes blood vessels to malfunction in a small minority of cases. In April last year, UK vaccine chiefs made the prudent decision to stop the use of AstraZeneca jab in adults under the age of 30, following a small number of reports across Europe of blood clots in young people who had received it.
The government medical authority, the MHRA, has received 79 reports of deaths following the AstraZeneca attack, although the link has only been confirmed in a third of these cases.
Claire says, “I remember suddenly a lot of doctors swarmed around me. It was terrifying. I didn’t think it would last the night.
An intensive course of anti-coagulation drugs proved effective and Claire was discharged from the hospital two weeks later.
Many of the people who spoke to The Mail on Sunday are still advocates for the vaccine effort and believe they made the right decision at the time. But they have become the unfortunate few who, they say, have been turned down by health officials and MPs, even though many are now unable to work.
But the incident has left him in permanent pain and suffering with debilitating fatigue. “I applied for the vaccine damages scheme in June, but lawyers told me not to hold out hope, as I probably won’t qualify as disabled enough,” he says.
Another applicant who is still awaiting a funding decision is Jamie Scott, 44, a computer engineer from Warwickshire. The father of two suffered a cerebral haemorrhage the day after his first stroke of AstraZeneca in April last year and has been left with permanent brain damage.
Today she struggles with basic daily tasks and requires regular appointments with physiotherapists and neurologists to help her regain full movement. He is partially blind, so he is no longer able to drive and struggles with attention and concentration. Jamie’s medical records state that a rare adverse reaction to the AstraZeneca vaccine caused a blood clot in his brain, according to his wife, charity worker Kate, 33.
She says: “It’s a miracle that Jamie is still with us. I called the hospital three times to say goodbye. But doctors have said he may never work again.
Kate applied for the vaccine damage payment scheme ten months ago, but she still doesn’t know when a decision will be made.
The family wrote to Boris Johnson in August to explain his ordeal. He replied, telling Jamie, “You’re not a statistic and you shouldn’t be ignored.” I am deeply touched by your story.
“It’s just words,” Kate says. “I can’t go back to work, so we have no income right now. Even if we get paid £ 120,000, it’s not enough to keep us going forever. And it’s insulting, considering what happened. and Jamie.
Complaints from families have led legal experts to call for a change in the vaccine damage payment regime, which they say is obsolete and “unfit for its purpose.”
The plan was launched in …