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Norway has registered a total of 29 deaths among people over 75 who shot their first Covid-19 vaccination, raising questions about which groups they want to target in national vaccination programs.
The latest figure adds six to the number of known deaths in Norway, and also reduces the age group thought to be affected from 80.
Until Friday, Pfizer / BioNTech was the only vaccine available in Norway, and ‘all deaths are therefore related to this vaccine’, the Norwegian Medicines Agency said in a written response to Bloomberg on Saturday.
“There are 13 deaths that have been assessed, and we are aware of another 16 deaths that are currently being assessed,” the agency said. All of the deaths reported are related to ‘elderly people with severe basic disorders’. “Most people experienced the expected side effects of the vaccine, such as nausea and vomiting, fever, local reactions at the injection site and worsening of their underlying condition.”
Side effects
Norway’s experience has prompted the country to suggest that Covid-19 vaccines may be too risky for many old and terminally ill people, the most cautious statement yet from a European health authority, as countries face the real side effects of the first shots. obtained, approve approval.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health states that “even those who have the worst fragility, even relatively mild side effects from vaccines can have serious consequences. For those who have a very short remaining lifespan anyway, the benefit of the vaccine may be marginal or irrelevant. ‘
Pfizer and BioNTech are working with the Norwegian regulator to investigate the deaths in Norway, Pfizer said in an email. The agency found that “the number of incidents so far has not been alarming, and in line with expectations,” Pfizer said.
“We know that deaths have also been reported in other countries, but we do not yet have the full details of this,” the Norwegian Medicines Agency said. “There are also differences between countries that prefer vaccination, and it can also affect the reporting of side effects, including death.”
‘The Norwegian Medicines Agency announced before the vaccination that when the oldest and sickest are vaccinated, deaths are expected to occur in a time-related connection with vaccination. This does not mean that there is a causal link between vaccination and death. We also said, in connection with the reported deaths, that it is possible that common and known side effects of the vaccines could have been a contributing factor to a serious course or fatal outcome, ‘the agency said.
Norway’s recommendation does not mean that younger, healthier people should be vaccinated. But it is an early indication of what to look for when countries begin issuing safety monitoring reports on the vaccinations. Emer Cooke, the new head of the European Medicines Agency, said detecting the safety of Covid vaccines, especially those relying on new technologies such as messenger RNA, would be one of the biggest challenges as shots rolled wide word.