An inquest has opened into the death of a 27-year-old engineer who died three weeks after receiving the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine. 

Stowmarket man Jack Last developed a blood clot on the brain and died at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge on April 20, 2021.

A statement from Mr Last's mother and father read at Suffolk Coroners' Court on Monday at the start of the inquest said: "As Jack's mum and dad, we could only give him love.

"We had no medical knowledge. We put our faith in the NHS to help Jack.

"We believe he had a strong chance of survival if he had been given the right treatment when he walked into the hospital on 9th April. That chance was taken away."

It was confirmed from Mr Last's GP's notes that he was a "fit and well young man" and that he had no direct contact with the practice since May 27, 2020.

Dr William Petchey was the first consultant to see Mr Last when he was admitted to West Suffolk Hospital's A&E on April 9, 2021.

He stated that Mr Last reported general malaise and ache at the injection site 48 hours after receiving the vaccine, but developed a severe "throbbing headache" six days later.

Dr Petchey confirmed that his "vital observations were unremarkable," and his first impression was that he had developed a migraine.

He added that he was concerned about a vaccine-induced thrombosis, but thought the "probability was low".

East Anglian Daily Times: Jack Last with his father, Mike, and his sister Jasmine.Jack Last with his father, Mike, and his sister Jasmine. (Image: The Last Family)

Dr Petchey asked a junior doctor to book a CT venogram to rule out cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (a blood clot in the sinuses), but added that the radiographer did not have the "technical expertise" to perform the scan and a plain CT was ordered instead.

He also confirmed that, following an investigation by the hospital trust, they have now undertaken a recruitment exercise to ensure these scans can be provided 24/7.

Dr Martin Besser, the on-call haemotologist on the weekend Mr Last was admitted to hospital, said doctors faced a "difficult decision" as to how to treat Mr Last, adding: "On one side, there was the possibility of thrombosis and on the other side there was a possibility of a bleed.

"You're trying at every step to do the least damaging thing for the patient."

A conclusion on the cause of Mr Last's death is expected from the Suffolk Coroners' Court on Wednesday, December 14.