The family of a former student who died from blood clots after being given an AstraZeneca Covid jab are hoping an inquest into his death will give them answers.
Jack Hurn, from Redditch, to the south of Birmingham, who attended Coventry University, received his first dose of the vaccine at a centre in Dudley on May 29 last year, reports Coventry Live.
Lawyers said medical advice at the time recommended that under-30s should get an alternative to the AstraZeneca drug after it was revealed that younger people were at greater risk of blood clots.
However, according to CoventryLive, staff reassured the family that it was safe. Jack started suffering headaches within days and died 11 days later at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital where doctors allegedly described him as having "catastrophic" blood clots on his brain.
Lawyer Michael Portman-Hann, said the family hoped an inquest being held later this month in Birmingham would answer some of the questions they have around Jack’s death. He said: "Jack, a first class honours graduate of Coventry University, had recently bought his first home with his partner, Alex Jones, who also received her vaccine at the same time. She only found out after his death that he was planning to propose that summer.
"Jack’s parents, Tracey and Peter, his sister, Abby, Alex and both their families are completely devastated and are still trying to come to terms with what happened. Jack and Alex asked staff at the vaccine clinic about the Pfizer alternative as they were aware of concerns around the use of Astra Zeneca for younger people.
"Alex and Jack were reassured by the staff at the centre that the vaccine was safe, and with no Pfizer doses available that day, they felt encouraged by vaccine staff to go ahead with what was on offer."
An inquest into Jack's death is to be held on May 23.
