Woman says COVID vaccine jab left her arm permanently disabled

A Luqa woman is suing Malta’s public health authorities for damages suffered in the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine that left her suffering from severe pain on her shoulders and a permanent disability.

Chantelle Fenech received the first dose of AstraZeneca-branded vaccine against COVID-19 in March 2021 at the University of Malta, on her left shoulder. A few minutes after administration of this first vaccine, she started suffering from severe pain on her shoulders, which continued to spread to her arm and hand.

Fenech accuses the public health authorities of incorrect administration of the vaccine w hich has led to permanent disability on her left side as a direct effect.

Fenech said that after having been administered her vaccine, her injury was certiffied by her family doctor, who instructed her not to drive.
She later visited Mater Dei Hospital several times as a result of this persistent pain and even had to undergo numerous MRIs throughout the next months.

Eventually, neurologist Mr Malcolm Vella referred Fenech to an orthopaedic consultant on suspicion that Fenech was suffering from a condition called ‘SIRVA’ – ‘Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration’.

A second COVID dose administered in May 2021, this time on the right arm, led to no pain.

“Therefore, it is clear that liability could have easily been avoided if the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine had been administered with skill, as is actually expected from the medical profession,” Fenech’s lawyers told the court.

Orthopaedic surgeon Mr Kurstein Sant later notified Fenech that she could need an operation because of the many steroidical injections administered on left shoulder to relieve the strong inflammation from the first jab.

Fenech said that this state of pain left her suffering a loss of income and overtime hours, due to hours spent off work, as well as alleging that she suffered a permanent debilitation of her left arm that affected her employment earnings.

“As a consequence, the claimant will incur substantial care costs for assistance of a recurring nature in the future,” her lawyers said