TOPEKA, Kan.– Kansas health officials and national agencies are investigating the death of a woman, who suffered from an allergic reaction after receiving a coronavirus vaccine.
Jeanie Evans, a 68-year old woman from Atchison county, received her vaccine at a facility in Jefferson County. She then passed away on Wednesday.
The first line of Evans’ obituary states, “Jeanie M. Evans, 68, of Effingham, Kansas died unexpectedly on Wednesday, March 24, 2021, at the Stormont-Vail Hospital from a reaction to the Covid vaccine.”
According to state health officials, during the waiting period following the vaccine, Evans experienced anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction. She was given medical treatment, then transported to a local hospital, where she later passed away.
“KDHE became aware this morning of a death of a 68-year-old Atchison County resident. The resident was vaccinated in Jefferson County, and according to the local health department, appropriate CDC guidelines were followed.“
KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
“Until the investigation is complete, it is premature to assign a specific cause of death,” a KDHE spokesperson told Kansas’ Capitol Bureau in an email on Thursday.
Medical professionals at the University of Kansas Health System answered questions related to vaccine safety amid the report of Evans’ death. Dr. Steven Stites said the vaccine may not be to blame.
“You really want to have a good understanding of the mechanism of death before you attribute it to something like that,” Stites said in a media briefing. “The best way to do that is to ask yourself, is what happened in this case uniquely attributed to a vaccine or could it be a medical disease.”
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said they’re investigating to find out the exact cause of Evans’ death.
The state recorded the incident, which is being reviewed by the CDC and FDA.
