Norway links 13 deaths to Pfizer vaccine’s side effects

Norwegian officials have adjusted their advice on who gets the COVID-19 vaccine in light of a small number of deaths in older people, leaving it up to each doctor to consider who should be vaccinated.

ℹ️ Statement from Pfizer – confirming a temporary slowdown in vaccine production in “late January to early February” so that they can increase production

Company says this will allow for “a significant increase in doses available for patients in late February and March” pic.twitter.com/WXwqRkzEb8

— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) January 15, 2021

The Norwegian Medicines Agency on Thursday reported a total of 29 people had suffered side effects, 13 of them fatal. All the deaths occurred among patients in nursing homes and all were over the age of 80.

The COVID-19 vaccine pipeline, beyond Pfizer and Moderna. What comes next, and why it matters.

A conversation with @Dereklowe.https://t.co/jiOy3YTjhy

— Dan Primack (@danprimack) January 15, 2021

The agency listed fever and nausea as side effects which “may have led to the deaths of some frail patients,” Sigurd Hortemo of the Norwegian Medicines Agency said in the body’s first report of the side effects.

“PH authorizes Pfizer’s vaccine for emergency use”#GoodNews! some clarifications:

1. As of now (1/15), we’re not sure wc brand will arrive 1st

2. We’ll be ready for any. Pasig is finalizing microplans for Pfizer, AZ, etc

3. Vaccination is voluntaryhttps://t.co/oKQGgysQ85

— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) January 15, 2021

More than 30,000 people have received the first shot of the Pfizer or Moderna coronavirus vaccine in the Scandinavian country since the end of December, according to official figures.

BREAK: Pfizer will temporarily reduce its deliveries to Europe of its vaccine while it upgrades its production capacity

The reduction in deliveries is due to Pfizer limiting output so that it can upgrade production capacity to 2 billion vaccine doses per year from 1.3 billion

— Darren McCaffrey (@DarrenEuronews) January 15, 2021

“We are not alarmed by this. It is quite clear that these vaccines have very little risk, with a small exception for the frailest patients,” Steinar Madsen, medical director with the agency, told Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

norway-links-13-deaths-to-pfizer-vaccine-s-side-effects-rapid-news-dailyrapidnews-viagra “Doctors must now carefully consider who should be vaccinated. Those who are very frail and at the very end of life can be vaccinated after an individual assessment,” he added.

Earlier this week, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health said that “any side effects of the vaccine will be outweighed by a reduced risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19 for elderly, frail people.”

It added that “for very frail patients and terminally ill patients, a careful balance of benefit versus disadvantage of vaccination is recommended.”