Tom Dudley: Views split on the safety of Covid jabs after death of Sheffield dad after AstraZeneca vaccine

Tom Dudley, aged 31, of Woodseats died on May 14 last year after he was found unresponsive at home, two weeks after receiving the vaccine.

An inquest into his death yesterday revealed that Tom died due to a cerebral hemorrhage or bleeding in the brain as a result of the vaccine administration on April 27.

However, Assistant Coroner Tanyka Rawden stressed that the cause was not a known and recognised complication of the vaccination at the time and that the risks have been ‘significantly reduced’ after changes in the guidelines were enforced.

She was referring to advice issued by the Government on May 7 that people under the age of 40 were to be offered an alternative vaccine to AstraZeneca following mounting concerns over links to rare blood clots.

Prior to then, restrictions were only applicable to those under the age of 30.

“Guidelines have been changed very quickly after Tom had his vaccination and to me, therefore, the risk to these people in the future that are going to have the vaccination is significantly reduced,” she said.

Split views on vaccination

And now many people have divided views on the vaccine, especially following Tom's death, which has been described as 'tragic'.

One said: “My daughter has a blood condition she's lived with all her life. It means nothing! Vaccinations kill.”

Another said: “Tragic...about time these deaths and injuries were reported. Rest easy young man.”

One woman said she would still take the vaccine, but not AstraZeneca.

She said: "Tom was well known in Woodseats. I was so sad to hear of his passing. I won't have AstraZeneca but will have Pfizer.”

Another wrote: “Such a sad story and great loss. Tom was such a likeable person. He would've had the jab because his first concern would be to protect his family, thinking he was doing the right thing. If only...”

Sheffield dad's death following AstraZeneca Covid vaccine as rare as being 'struck by lightning', says health chief

‘Vaccination is still the best protection’

Sheffield’s director of public health, Greg Fell, has called tragic cases of blood clots linked to vaccines ‘vanishingly rare’.

He said: “In terms of rarity, it’s ‘struck by lightning’ type of territory. All medical interventions come with benefits and they all also come with complications.

“Those risks (connected to the Covid vaccine) are vanishingly rare...Vaccination is still the best protection we have.

“One thing I hear a lot is ‘the sting has been taken out of the tail of Covid’. But the evidence is that applies to people who have been vaccinated – it’s certainly milder, although that isn’t to say people aren’t still getting very poorly.

“The overwhelming evidence is it’s a safe vaccine, but there are will those who have reservations and are putting off getting jabbed.

“Overwhelmingly, I think this is down to misinformation on social media yet that is still affecting people’s perceptions and the decisions they make.”

In January, Mr Fell said there were still 100,000 unvaccinated adults in Sheffield.

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