One week after his first dose of AstraZeneca Covid-19 in March last year, the unthinkable happened to Richard Todman. The 60-year-old part-time judge from North London has had catastrophic blood clots in his gut. The condition can quickly become life-threatening as clots can break off and travel elsewhere in the body, stopping blood and nutrients from reaching vital organs. Within three weeks, Richard was dead.
The forensic doctor’s report confirmed the reason: the blow triggered the clots that killed him. It must be said that such complications are disappearing. Blood clots are estimated to occur in only seven out of every million people vaccinated, and of the 49 million Britons who received two doses, the problem contributed to only 24 deaths, according to data obtained from deaths and recorded by the Office for national statistics.
And yet it happens. Today, Richard’s wife, Deborah’s lawyer, is still struggling to come to terms with the consequences of his sudden death.
One week after his first dose of AstraZeneca Covid-19 in March last year, the unthinkable happened to Richard Todman, pictured with his wife, Deborah. The 60-year-old part-time judge from North London has had catastrophic blood clots in his gut. The condition can quickly become life-threatening as clots can break off and travel elsewhere in the body, stopping blood and nutrients from reaching vital organs. Within three weeks, Richard was dead
Some patients have experienced side effects from Covid-19 vaccines, although billions have been inoculated without a problem
“He was a wonderful man who was the love of my life. We didn’t have children, so we spent our lives together, traveling the world and doing adventures. His death was indeed the worst thing that could happen.
Despite a broken heart, Deborah admits that Richard’s death was an anomaly. “Richard never hesitated to get the vaccine,” she said. “As far as he was concerned, that was the right thing to do.” He really wanted to have it to protect himself and others.
His death certificate, seen by The Mail on Sunday, reads: “Richard Todman died from an extremely rare complication of the Covid-19 vaccine.”
However, according to Deborah, health chiefs have barely been able to admit that the Covid vaccine is to blame for her husband’s death.
A year later, she has not yet received any financial support from the Ministry of Health – although the government’s vaccine compensation scheme entitles families to a £ 120,000 payment if a loved one dies or is severely injured as a result. of government-recommended strike.
“It’s not the money – of course it’s not the money,” said Deborah, who did not feel able to return to work after Richard’s death. “But I am outraged that the authorities are not saying, ‘We are very sorry that your life has been ruined by this blow, this is something that will make life a little easier.’
“Instead, I was told that I had to wait another six months for my husband’s medical records to be examined to determine whether or not he had 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 acknowledge that life-changing injuries are the result of the blow – as well as compensation – despite medical evidence.
Official figures revealed to us show that out of 1,200 claims for compensation related to Covid-19 vaccines, none have been paid.
The Mail on Sunday has long supported Covid-19 vaccines and says they are as safe as they can be. Our position remains strong, as scientists now have more evidence than ever that this is indeed the case.
Another candidate still awaiting funding is 44-year-old Jamie Scott, an IT engineer from Warwickshire. The father of two suffered a brain hemorrhage the day after his first stroke with AstraZeneca last April and was left with permanent brain damage. He is pictured here with his wife Kate
More than 140 million doses of Covid-19 have already been given in the UK. However, the government has received less than 500 reports of serious complications. Most of them are related to the impact of AstraZeneca, which carries the highest risk of blood clots, according to studies. It is important to note that these records are not confirmed by medical professionals, but are reported by the public as part of a yellow card scheme that allows patients to report if they believe symptoms are related to a drug or vaccine.
Any medical intervention carries risks. Yet for the majority of those who have suffered a Covid-19 crash, the benefits far outweigh the extremely rare risks.
Professor Peter Openshaw, a vaccine expert at Imperial College London, said: “Most people who receive the sting have benefited and are better protected from the disease.”
However, there are some very unfortunate ones.
Experts speaking to The Mail on Sunday warned that the government’s failure to properly deal with the ordeal facing these families could encourage distorted views of conspiracy theorists against prick vaccines.
“If you’re not honest with the public about this and you don’t admit what happened to families, you leave room for people to accuse the government of withholding information about vaccines,” said Professor Richard Goldberg, a law professor at the University of Durham and a medical expert. right.
Many of the people who spoke to The Mail on Sunday remain champions in the vaccination effort and believe they made the right choice at the time. But they have become the few unfortunates who they believe have been scams by health officials and lawmakers, although many can no longer work.
Last night, Conservative MP Sir Christopher Chope said: “Although millions are doing the right thing by being vaccinated against Covid-19, those who have suffered life-threatening injuries or the loss of vaccines have been abandoned. I hope that the government will do the right thing and provide these victims with the necessary financial assistance. That’s a lot more than the current £ 120,000 rate
Last night, Conservative MP Sir Christopher Chope said: “Although millions are doing the right thing by being vaccinated against Covid-19, those who have suffered life-threatening injuries or the loss of vaccines have been abandoned. I hope that the government will do the right thing and provide these victims with the necessary financial assistance. This is much more than the current rate of £ 120,000.
Claire Hibbs, a 49-year-old Hertfordshire construction worker, has been unable to work since receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine in March 2021. Five days later, the mother of two is fighting for her life in a hospital with blood clots in her lungs. and the liver. Doctors told her they believed the clots were caused by the vaccine.
Scientists believe that the pathogen in the AstraZeneca vaccine, which increases our protection against the virus, causes blood vessels to malfunction in a very small number of cases. In April last year, UK vaccine chiefs made the cautious decision to stop using AstraZeneca in adults under 30, following a small number of reports across Europe of blood clots in young people who have received it.
The government’s medical authority, MHRA, has received 79 reports of deaths after the AstraZeneca strike – although the link has been confirmed in only a third of these cases.
Claire says: “I remember a bunch of doctors suddenly filling up around me. It was horrible. I didn’t think it would last the night.
The intensive course of anticoagulants proved effective, and Claire was discharged from the hospital two weeks later.
Many of the people who spoke to The Mail on Sunday remain champions in the vaccination effort and believe they made the right choice at the time. But they have become the few unfortunates who they say have been evacuated by health officials and lawmakers, although many can no longer work.
But the accident left her in constant pain and suffering with exhausting fatigue. “I applied in June for the vaccine compensation scheme, but my lawyers told me not to hope because I probably wouldn’t qualify as disabled enough,” she said.
Another candidate still awaiting funding is 44-year-old Jamie Scott, an IT engineer from Warwickshire. The father of two suffered a brain hemorrhage the day after his first stroke with AstraZeneca last April and was left with permanent brain damage.
Today, he struggles with basic daily tasks and requires regular appointments with physiotherapists and neurologists to help him regain full movement. He is partially blind, so he can no longer drive and struggles with attention and focus. Jamie’s medical records show that a rare adverse reaction to the AstraZeneca vaccine caused a blood clot in his brain, according to his wife, 33-year-old philanthropist Kate.
She says: “It’s a miracle that Jamie is still with us. I called the hospital three times to say goodbye. But doctors said it might never work again.
Kate applied for the vaccine compensation scheme ten months ago, but it is not yet known when a decision will be made.
The family wrote to Boris Johnson in August, explaining their ordeal. He replied, telling Jamie, “You’re not a statistic and you shouldn’t be ignored. I am deeply moved by your story.
“It’s just words,” says Kate. “I can’t go back to work, so we don’t have any income at the moment. Even if we get paid £ 120,000, that’s not enough to keep us working forever. And it’s insulting considering what Jamie went through.
Family complaints have prompted legal experts to call for a change in the vaccine compensation scheme, which they say is outdated and “inappropriate”.
The scheme was created in …
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