Virginia woman dies hours after receiving COVID-19 vaccine, health officials investigating

A Virginia woman from Gloucester died within hours of receiving the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, according to her family.

The Virginia Department of Health said in a statement Friday that preliminary findings indicate that the cause of death was not anaphylaxis, which indicates a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. The state medical examiner is investigating the incident and officials say it may take several weeks for additional information to become available.

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The VDH says the CDC is now gathering additional information after the death was reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

"I want to offer condolences to the family. Any loss is horrible," said State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver.

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