A rock singer suffered a ‘catastrophic brain injury’ in a rare and aggressive complication brought on by the AstraZeneca Covid vaccination, an inquest concluded.
The 48-year-old who called himself Zion fell ill with an agonising headache on May 13 last year, eight days after having his first jab at Penrith Auction Mart in Cumbria.
Tragically, he later died at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on May 19.
The inquest held at Newcastle Coroner’s Court yesterday heard how his condition severely deteriorated in the days after his headache symptoms emerged.
A paramedic who was first called to Zion’s home in Alston, Cumbria, on May 15, 2021, gave evidence at the inquest and said Zion was ‘alert and sat up’ when she arrived.
She told the hearing she advised Zion to go to hospital for further checks, but he said he did not want to go for fear of catching Covid.
The paramedic added that she did not receive official guidance regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine and its rare potential risks until around July.
The inquest also heard from Vikki Spit, Zion’s fiancé and partner of 21 years, who said the paramedic was ‘adamant’ the migraine was nothing to do with the vaccine and that they both ‘believed her.’
She added: ‘He was prepared to go to hospital if the advice was to do so.’
The paramedic denied Ms Spit’s claim.
A clinical review of the North East Ambulance Service ‘s handling of the initial paramedic call out was later carried out and concluded the paramedic did a ‘thorough assessment’ and that there were ‘no concerns’.
Two days later, on May 17, another paramedic arrived at Zion’s home and described him as ‘confused and vacant’. Zion then had a small seizure and he was immediately taken to Carlisle Hospital in an ambulance.
He was later referred to the RVI and blue-lighted to the hospital with the intention of him being operated on immediately.
Damian Holliman, the neurosurgeon who operated on Zion, said that when he arrived, both of his pupils were unresponsive to light. By this point Zion had bleeding on the brain, causing it to swell, and he was then operated on.
Mr Holliman said that he was ‘fully aware’ Zion’s blood clot ‘was the result of his recent vaccination’.
The inquest heard Zion had a ‘limited medical history’ and had suffered a ‘rare and aggressive complication’.
When Mr Holliman was asked whether he believed the AstraZeneca vaccine was the direct result of the complications Zion suffered, he replied: ‘I don’t have any other reason to think it was anything else’ and that his thrombosis was ‘related somehow to the vaccination’.
Two other consultants at the RVI also gave evidence at the hearing, and agreed with Mr Holliman’s view that Zion had suffered rare complication from the vaccine.
Read More: Rock singer, 48, suffered ‘catastrophic brain injury’ and died of complications
