'Diabetes risk after taking Covid booster jab not true'

VELLORE: Reports on teachers of a government-aided school in Tiruchy refusing booster dose due to fear of getting diabetes are not true as the vaccine is not in any way linked to the disease, doctors at the Christian Medical College (CMC) here have said.

CMC’s mixed vaccine study’s principal investigator Dr Winsley Rose said, “this is just a rumour as we have not come across incidence of diabetes after study where in participants were given booster doses of both Covishield and Covaxin.”

Elaborating, leading virologist Dr T Jacob John said “vaccines do not cause diabetes as they are safe and have no live element in it.”

“mRNA vaccines could create temporary pericardial problems in some

patients, but this is short-lived and hence during such stints, they are advised to refrain from heavy exercise,” he added.

“AstraZeneca vaccines (Covishield in India) do induce some bleeding and

clotting in patients and that is why it is not popular in Europe,” he said.

Sources said the rumour was similar to another such during the early days of the vaccine drive more than a year ago, that those opting for vaccines would become impotent. “However, it was soon proved to be false. But what helped overcome the rumour was the fear of death among the public who felt that risk of impotency was better than COVID death,” a source revealed.