CDC Launches Investigation Following Teen's Death After Receiving Second Dose of Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine
(Photo : JAVIER TORRES/AFP via Getty Images)
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A man receives a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19 at a vaccination centre in Santiago, on July 3, 2021. (Photo by JAVIER TORRES / AFP)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it is investigating the case of a 13-year-old boy from Michigan, who died several days after receiving his second COVID-19 vaccine.

Jacob Clynik received his second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on June 13 at a Walgreens in Saginaw and died on June 15. The CDC stated that they are investigating the cause of death but that no conclusions can be drawn at this time. 

Michigan boy dies after receiving second dose of COVID-19 vaccine 

"This case is currently under investigation and until the investigation is complete, it is premature to assign a specific cause," said Martha Shara, a CDC spokesperson. She explained that they were unable to establish his cause of death, but that they were able to use it to learn more about the vaccination.

Jacob's aunt, Tammy Burages, told the Detroit Free Press that Jacob had complained of a post-vaccine effect, including fever and exhaustion. Jacob had no known pre-existing conditions, according to her.

The toxicology results may take months to determine the cause of Jacob's death, according to the Saginaw County Medical Examiner. The CDC responded to a follow-up question from Mid-Michigan by saying that it does not comment on individual cases. However, it points that the website would be updated with more information on several conditions the CDC is closely monitoring, such as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia, myocarditis, and anaphylaxis.

The Michigan boy also has a GoFundMe page set up for him. The page has already reached its fundraising goal of $6,298 and is no longer accepting donations. Clynick's heart was enlarged and there was fluid around it, according to his autopsy report. The exact cause of death, and whether it was related to Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, may take three to five months, said the health experts.

Per MEAWW, Clynick's funeral came just three days after a CDC advisory committee found a connection between the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccinations and the risk of heart inflammation in young people.

"The known and potential benefits of COVID-19 vaccine outweigh the potential risks, including the possible risk of myocarditis or pericarditis," according to the CDC website. In addition, most patients with myocarditis and pericarditis who were treated reacted favorably to treatment and rest, and felt much better quickly, the agency added.

Read Also: CDC Recalls Precooked Chicken Over Listeria Outbreak; 1 Dead, 3 Hospitalized

Pfizer to seek COVID-19 vaccine approval for children aged 11 and below

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the issue is a "very rare side effect" that most people recover from without the need for medication. An advisory group to the CDC reported last week that there was a likely connection between 1,200 instances of heart inflammation and Pfizer and Moderna's mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. The majority of the cases have involved boys and young men, Daily Mail reported.

It concluded that the vaccinations' benefits much exceed the risks. Following the CDC's announcement, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be labeled with a warning.

Pfizer-BioNTech aims to submit a request to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday to have its COVID-19 vaccine approved for children aged 11 and below by the fall. The FDA approved the vaccine for emergency use for individuals aged 16 and up  in late December 2020 and for those aged 12 and older in May 2021.

Related Article: FDA to Add Warning to Moderna, Pfizer COVID Vaccines Literature; 309 Hospitalized Due to Heart Inflammation


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