Man Died of Myocarditis Hours After Searching Vaccine Side Effects

A man in his 20s died from myocarditis caused by the Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine just hours after searching "heart racing since vaccine" and "myocarditis" on his phone, according to a report by the Health and Disability Commissioner.

The man had received his first Comirnaty dose 12 days earlier but was not informed about the risk of myocarditis or advised to seek urgent medical care if he experienced symptoms like chest pain or palpitations.

The report states the man received the vaccine at a pharmacy in 2021.

The Commissioner found vaccinators should have discussed myocarditis and its symptoms with the man before and after vaccination, despite conflicting official guidance at the time.

While stopping short of finding a Code breach, the report is critical of the pharmacy, pharmacist, and Ministry of Health for inadequately communicating the risk.

Full report: Information about myocarditis risk from Comirnaty vaccine not clearly highlighted or communicated