Italy launches manslaughter probe into death of teacher who died after being given AstraZeneca vaccine

Italian prosecutors have opened a manslaughter investigation after a music teacher died on Sunday, March 14, a day after receiving AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine.

The judiciary in Biella on Monday opened a preliminary probe into the death of 57-year-old Sandro Tognatti, whose cause of death is still unknown.

Authorities said there is no link to AstraZeneca’s vaccine at this stage and the probe is intended to establish what killed him.

This comes after Italy temporarily banned the use of all AstraZeneca vaccines amid fears it causes blood clots, with France and Germany also enacting bans and saying they are waiting for European regulators to give guidance.

The European Medicines Agency said last week that there is no reason to halt the use of the jab and that ‘the benefits outweigh the risks of side effects’, but its investigation is continuing and another report is due Thursday.

On Monday March 15, Italy imposed fresh lockdowns, with 13 of the country’s 21 regions now in a ‘red zone’ meaning schools, restaurants, shops and museums have to close, and people cannot leave their homes except for work, health or other essential reasons.

Another seven regions were also declared ‘orange zones’, meaning shops and beauticians can remain open except during a night-time curfew, while all other venues have to close and travel outside the local area is restricted. Just one region, Sardinia, is in a lockdown-free ‘white zone’.