The Kerala High Court has directed the Additional Solicitor General to obtain instructions from the Centre on a writ petition seeking ₹10 crore compensation from Serum Institute of India, the manufacturer of the Covishield vaccine, and the Centre in an alleged death due to immunogenic response to the vaccine.
The petition was moved by Sabu C. Thomas and his wife Jean George following the death of their only daughter Nova Sabu.
Bill Gates, a partner of Serum Institute of India, has also been listed as a respondent.
The petitioners contended that their daughter died following a direct after-effect of administering the Covishield vaccine. Vaccination was made compulsory by the government, and the deceased had no option but to book the available slot from the vaccination site and get the jab. The vaccine was administered to Nova Sabu without any communication on the associated risk factors, they said.
Hospital records showed that “the deceased might have suffered thrombocytopenia, thrombosis syndrome, an immunogenic response to the Covishield vaccine.” The manufacturer of the vaccine as well as the Government of India and the State were jointly and severally liable to compensate the petitioners, they argued.
