Man dies in Noordwijkerhout minutes after receiving Pfizer Covid vaccine

A 77-year-old man died on Monday morning shortly after he received his first injection of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine in Noordwijkerhout. The Lareb side effects center and the National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) are currently investigating whether there is a link between the death and the vaccination, local newspaper Leidsch Dagblad reported.

The victim was one of the first to receive the coronavirus vaccine at the new vaccination location at the Leeuwenhorst NH Hotel and conference center on Langelaan Monday morning, the first day the facility was open. Carin Boon, a spokesperson for the regional health service GGD Hollands-Midden, said that the injection itself was without incident, and the man waited under supervision for fifteen minutes after the injection before leaving the facility.

“He collapsed outside. We resuscitated him before the emergency services arrived. We just heard that he died in hospital“, Boon said at about 11 a.m. Emergency services records show that ambulances were dispatched to the Leeuwenhorst at about 8:50 a.m.

Boon also stated the vaccination process will continue as planned as there is for now no indication that the vaccine is unsafe. She reiterated that severe side effects have occurred in only very rare cases.

The new vaccination facility started receiving people from 8 a.m. on Monday. The vaccination center was set to be officially opened by Noordwijk Mayor Wendy Verkleij, but the ceremony was canceled.

"We offer our deepest sympathies to his family. This is very intense for them and also, of course, for our employees," Boon said.