A healthcare worker, who was vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has died, but the Department of Health (DOH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the cause of death was not directly linked to jab.

The DOH and FDA said that they received a report on March 15 of a death of an individual who had received the COVID-19 vaccine “and subsequently tested positive” for the viral illness. 

The two agencies noted that the death was not linked to the COVID-19 jab and that the healthcare worker succumbed to the viral disease. It noted that the  regional and national  adverse events following immunization (AEFI) committees “were activated to conduct a thorough investigation of the case.”

“Upon completion of the investigation following the 2019 WHO (World Health Organization) AEFI causality assessment methodology, the NAEFIC and RAEFIC concluded that the cause of the death was caused by COVID-19 itself, not by the COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines cannot cause COVID-19,” the DOH and FDA said in a joint statement on Wednesday, March 17.

The agencies did not specify what vaccine brand was administered to the healthcare worker as well as other details about the fatality. 

Amid this report, the DOH and FDA encouraged the healthcare workers to get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19. 

“DOH and FDA encourage all health workers to get vaccinated, especially now that we are seeing a surge in COVID 19 cases. Millions of people around the world have received this vaccine, and evidence continues to show that the benefit of vaccination outweighs the risk of severe disease and death caused by COVID-19,” the agencies said. 

“The DOH and FDA emphasize that vaccines are only one part of the solution in bringing the COVID-19 pandemic to an end. Even with vaccines, people must continue with the important prevention measures already in place: wearing masks, maintaining physical distancing, washing hands frequently, and avoiding crowded places and settings,” it added.