Covid vaccine complications claimed life of ‘hero’ wife, 51
Husband’s tribute after AstraZeneca jab led to ‘unsurvivable’ blood clots
A HUSBAND said his wife died a ‘hero’ after a coroner ruled rare complications from the AstraZeneca vaccine caused her death.
Mother-of-two Michelle Barlow, 51, originally from Portsmouth but who lived in Orrell, near Wigan, Greater Manchester, died 16 days after having the jab, after falling ill and developing ‘unsurvivable’ blood clots.
A civil servant for 34 years with the Department for Work and Pensions, Mrs Barlow was admitted to hospital.
While doctors noted her recent vaccination, and emerging knowledge about bad reactions in some patients, they persisted with a diagnosis of a gastro infection, Bolton Coroner’s Court heard.
One of her sons even Googled the symptoms his mother was suffering, and it showed how other doctors were saving the lives of people with similar complications.
But three days after being admitted to Wigan Infirmary, Mrs Barlow died from blood clots as a result of ‘rare complications’ of the Covid19 vaccination, the inquest heard.
Timothy Brennand, senior coroner for Greater Manchester West, ruled: ‘The deceased died as the consequences of the unrecognised, rare complications of a recently administered elective and necessary Covid-19 vaccination.’
Her multiple organ failure caused by the blood clots was as a result of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) a condition not recognised at the time of her death, the inquest heard.
Mr Brennand said there may have been some ‘suboptimal care’ and ‘confirmation bias’ among medics in persisting with their initial wrong diagnosis.
Outside court Mrs Barlow’s husband, Ian, a retired factory worker, said he felt ‘relief’ that the vaccine’s role in her death had been recognised.
Mr Barlow said: ‘I’m happy and sad. I’m sad Michelle is not here. I’m happy Michelle has got the answers to what we wanted.
‘The Covid vaccine victims are forgotten heroes alongside the Covid victims because lessons have been learned.
‘I’ve had a close friend die of Covid and my wife has died from the vaccine.
‘I’m not saying don’t get the vax, I’m saying check it out first, if it’s right for you.’
The family are calling for a judicial review of the vaccine rollout.
Earlier the inquest heard Mrs Barlow went to a mass vaccination centre at Robin Park, Wigan and was given the AstraZeneca jab on March 7, and slowly began to suffer ‘side effects’ of flu like symptoms over the next couple of weeks.
On March 19 she first went to Wigan Infirmary but her husband said she felt ‘fobbed off ’ and was discharged.
The next day she went to the A&E department of the hospital and was admitted, with medics first suspecting a gastro-enteritis infection.
Pathologist Dr Naveen Sharma told the inquest: ‘There’s no denying a small number of people with the AstraZeneca vaccine have gone on to develop blood clots.’
Dr Peter Kreppel, Mrs Barlow’s GP, who referred her to hospital, said he still would have recommended her taking the vaccine, as the risk of thrombosis was 100 times greater without the vaccine than when having taken it.