The death of a 56-year-old physician in South Florida, who died after receiving the first dose of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine, is being investigated by health authorities.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Florida Department of Health officials are investigating if the vaccine had any affect leading to the death of Dr. Gregory Michael, according to a report in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The family of Michael, a Miami-Beach obstetrician, said he was previously in good health.
The CDC has reported 29 cases of severe allergic reactions to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine out of the nearly 5 million people who have already been vaccinated.
Dr. Gregory Michael received his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 on Dec. 18. The patient shown in the photo is not Dr. Gregory Michael. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
The doctor received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 18 at Mount Sinai Medical Center, according to a Facebook post from his wife, Heidi Neckelmann.
Small spots began to appear on his feet and hands three days later and he went to the emergency room at Mount Sinai, where he has worked in private practice for 15 years.
“Experts from all over the country were involved in his care,” his widow posted on Facebook. “No matter what they did, the platelets count refused to go up.” She added that her husband was in good health. He reportedly died sometime late Jan. 3 or early Jan. 4. (RELATED: Number of US Deaths In 2020 Expected To Pass 3 Million, Deadliest Year Ever Recorded)
A spokesman for Pfizer told the Sun-Sentinel that the company is investigating Michael’s death and said it was a “highly unusual clinical case” and does not believe “there is any direct connection to the vaccine” at this time.