Kansas woman’s obituary says she died from COVID vaccine reaction. State investigating

An obituary of a 68-year-old Kansas woman says she died Wednesday at Stormont Vail Health in Topeka after a reaction from a COVID-19 vaccine.

An employee at the funeral home that posted her obituary said that causes of death “typically (come) from family.”

The woman started to have an allergic reaction called anaphylaxis during a waiting period after receiving the vaccine in Jefferson County, according to Kansas Department of Health and Environment spokesperson Kristi Zears.

She was taken to the hospital where she later passed away.

“The death will be fully investigated in accordance with standard protocol,” Zears said. “Until the investigation is complete, it is premature to assign a specific cause of death.”

“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the individual’s family.”

Zears said the KDHE reported the death to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which is a national vaccine surveillance program.

The CDC says deaths originally attributed to the vaccine turn out to be other causes. In the U.S., 126 million people received a COVID-19 vaccine between Dec. 14 and March 22 and 2,216 deaths were reported within the vaccine cohort.

“A review of available clinical information including death certificates, autopsy, and medical records revealed no evidence that vaccination contributed to patient deaths,” the CDC says on its website.

Anaphylaxis is rare but can happen after someone has a COVID-19 vaccine, typically within 30 minutes after being vaccinated, according to the CDC. Roughly every 2-5 people per one million have the reaction. The CDC does not recommend someone with the allergic reaction to the first shot to get their second.

A rash, known as “COVID arm,” has also been reported in areas of the arm where people received a vaccine. The red, itchy swollen or painful rash can appear a few days to more than a week after the first shot. The CDC says the rashes are “sometimes very large.” Getting a second shot is still recommended, but it’s advised to tell the person who administers the second shot beforehand about experiencing such a reaction.

An antihistamine can be taken if the rash is itchy. If it’s painful, an acetaminophen or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug can be used.

“COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective,” the CDC says.

This story was originally published March 25, 2021 at 12:33 PM.