Mark Briggs: Reaction to AstraZeneca almost killed him but Mark Briggs is no anti-vaxxer

Mark Briggs said he was “terribly unlucky” to have the severe reaction to the AstraZeneca vaccination which threatened his life and kept him hospitalised for three months. As he prepares to return home to Rockhampton, he’s spoken out for the first time.

A life-threatening reaction to the AstraZeneca vaccine has not turned Mark Briggs into an anti-vaxxer.

The Rockhampton father-of-four is instead urging people to do their research and speak to their GPs, and believes he was just “terribly unlucky” to have had the rare response to the first jab of the Covid-19 vaccine that he received on June 15.

Mark, 55, has spent more than three months in hospitals in Rockhampton and Brisbane, battling symptoms that three times almost claimed his life.

He had to be intubated three times. He had myopericarditis, severe pneumonia and sepsis. His liver was inflamed, his kidneys were shutting down and he had 12 litres of fluid on his body.

Extensive tests had failed to find a diagnosis, but a Brisbane specialist last month told Mark’s wife Sam that it was caused by a reaction to AstraZeneca.

The specialist said he was reporting Mark‘s case to the Therapeutic Goods Administration but it has not yet appeared on its vaccine weekly safety report.

Mark Briggs is in the intensive care unit of The Wesley Hospital in Brisbane.

The Briggs family was also told the case had been referred to the TGA during Mark’s first stint in the Rockhampton Hospital, with his discharge papers listing under the consultation notes: “COVID-19 Adverse Event Following Immunisation reporting completed”.

It has been a living hell for Mark and his family, but he is now on the road to recovery and will return to Rockhampton this week.

Speaking to The Morning Bulletin from his bed at The Wesley Hospital in Brisbane, Mark said he could not wait to get back to the familiar surroundings of his own home and to feel the warm embrace of his family.

“I just can’t wait to hug my kids,” he said.

Sam, who has been at his bedside every day, added: “It will be awesome to have our family back together.”

Mark said despite the ordeal and confirmation AstraZeneca was responsible, he was not pushing an anti-vaccination message.

Mark Briggs in the Rockhampton Hospital.

Instead, he is encouraging people to be informed about the different vaccines and to discuss any possible side effects with their doctors.

Mark’s 75-year-old mother Ienis has had a double dose of AstraZeneca, getting her second jab on September 10, with no side effects.

According to the latest TGA vaccine weekly safety report, more than 22.8 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines - about 10.8 million of them AstraZeneca - have been administered to September 12, 2021.

The TGA has found that nine reports of deaths were linked to immunisation from 535 reports received and reviewed, and the deaths occurred after the first dose of the AstraZeneca.

Eight were Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) and one was a case of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).

Mark Briggs with wife Sam. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Mark said his specialist was now telling him to have the Pfizer vaccine, something he admits he is a “little bit apprehensive” about.

“I just think I was terribly unlucky and if it was going to happen, it was going to happen to me,” Mark said.

“I’m not against it, considering how many people are getting vaccinated and how few you hear are having this sort of reaction, though I don’t know how many are getting the AstraZeneca still.

“I would just say look into it, read as much information you can about it, consider the other options and if you’ve got any queries, ask your doctor.”

Mark has been in a rehabilitation ward for the past two weeks, doing three sessions of physiotherapy and occupational therapy a day to rebuild his weakened body.

He has lost 24kg since he was first hospitalised.

“I’m not feeling too bad. I’m just getting over it all,” he said.

“I can probably remember the last six weeks, but I don’t remember too much in the beginning.

“Hopefully I’ll get discharged on Wednesday to go back home.

“I’ll be doing two days a week at outpatients and stuff at home. It’s going to be a few months before I get close to 100 per cent.”

Mark had no underlying medical conditions and was fit and well when he had his first AstraZeneca jab.

He thought it the responsible thing to do as he was going to watch his daughter play in a netball carnival in Brisbane.

He said he felt okay afterwards but that night had a headache, aches in his shoulders and back and other flu-like symptoms.

The next morning, the mechanical fitter drove to Moranbah to start his seven-day shift in the mines.

“On the last night I started to get a sore throat and after work when I was driving home, I started getting pains in my shoulders,” he said.

“I got home, had a shower and went to bed and fell asleep.

“Mum came around at lunchtime and I started getting pains in the chest, so we called the ambulance and went up to the hospital.

“They couldn’t find anything wrong and sent me home.

“The next morning, I had terrific pain in my forearms, so I went back to the hospital and have been there since.”

Sam and Mark Briggs hope to be heading home this week. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Mark has been buoyed by the support from Central Queensland and beyond.

A mycause site for the family has raised more than $19,000 and a fundraiser at Rockhampton ISA in August made more than $11,000.

Mark’s voice quakes as he talks about people’s incredible generosity.

“I’m very appreciative, very grateful,” he said.

He describes Sam as “a legend”, and she returns the compliment, acknowledging Mark‘s resilience and courage.

“He’s fighting the tough fight,” she said.

“It’s really hard for him some days, he gets down on himself when he can’t do the little things.

“But he’s a stubborn man so he’ll get there in the end.”