Did a Miami Beach doctor die from a reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine?

MIAMI BEACH, Florida – Questions remain about the death of a 56-year-old Miami Beach doctor who died on Sunday, just over two weeks after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

Gregory Michael, MD, whose website says he was in private practice in obstetrics and gynecology at Mount Sinai Medical Center, received the vaccine at the hospital where he was affiliated on December 18.

It is not known, however, whether the death of the 56-year-old doctor is linked to the shooting, but an investigation is underway.

A Facebook post from Michael’s wife described him as “very healthy.” His website stated that he was an avid tournament and big game fisherman and also a certified rescue diver.

His wife said that three days after being vaccinated, Michael noticed serious broken blood vessels on his feet and hands, prompting him to go to the emergency room.

There he was diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenia, which prevents the blood from clotting. After two weeks of treatment, she wrote on the Facebook post, Michael suffered a hemorrhagic stroke caused by the lack of platelets, which claimed his life within minutes, she said.

She said her husband was a supporter of the vaccine.

A spokesperson for Mount Sinai, who cited restrictions on patient privacy, said in a statement:

“To the extent that we become aware of an incident involving a patient, the appropriate agencies are contacted immediately and benefit from our full cooperation.”

The Florida Department of Health has confirmed it has referred the case to the Centers for Disease Control for investigation. A CDC spokesperson told Local 10 News that “they will assess the situation as more information becomes available and provide timely updates on what is known and what actions are needed. .

Vaccine maker Pfizer-BioNTech responded in a statement, saying it was aware of the death of a healthcare professional 16 days after receiving a first dose. “We are actively investigating this case, but do not believe at this time that there is a direct link to the vaccine. No associated safety signal has been identified in trials or vaccinations so far. “

The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office said, at this time, Michael’s cause of death has not been determined and results could take several weeks.

The CDC, which has been tasked with reviewing vaccine safety, said their hearts are with the family. They added that: “To date, more than 5 million people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the United States.”

Dr Michael’s family have requested confidentiality at this time.