Health officials said 23 people died in Norway within days of receiving their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, with 13 deaths – all aged care home patients – apparently related to the side effects of the shots.
Common reactions to the vaccine, including fever and nausea, “may have contributed to a fatal outcome in some vulnerable patients,” Sigurd Hurtemo, chief physician at the Norwegian Medicines Agency, He said in a statement Friday.
All 13 patients were nursing home patients and were at least 80 years old. While officials do not express extreme concern, they are revising their directives on who should receive the vaccine.
The news comes in a little over a week later Officials reported Only two nursing home residents died after receiving the Pfizer vaccine.
More than 30,000 people in Norway have received the first vaccine from the Pfizer vaccine or the Corona virus vaccine in the Scandinavian country since late last month, according to official figures.
“We are not concerned about this,” Steinar Madsen, the agency’s medical director, told the Norwegian broadcaster NRK. “It is quite clear that these vaccines carry very little risk, with a small exception for the most vulnerable patients.”
“Doctors must now carefully study who should be vaccinated,” he added. “Those who are very vulnerable and who at the end of life can be vaccinated after an individual evaluation.”
On Thursday, the agency reported that a total of 29 people suffered side effects, including 13 people who died.
Officials said 21 women and 8 men experienced side effects.
Besides those who died, nine had serious side effects – including allergic reactions, extreme discomfort and high fever – while seven had less severe symptoms, including severe pain at the injection site.
In total, more than 57,000 cases and 500 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported in Norway, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Health officials note that about 400 people die every week in the nursing home.
A representative of Pfizer said that the pharmaceutical giant is “aware of the reported deaths” after the vaccine was given in Norway and is working with the Norwegian Medicines Agency “to collect all relevant information.”
A spokeswoman said in a statement: “The Norwegian authorities have given priority to immunizing residents in nursing homes, most of whom are elderly people with underlying medical conditions and some of them suffer from fatal diseases.” “[The Norwegian Medicine Agency confirms] The number of incidents so far is not alarming and meets expectations. “
“All deaths reported will be carefully evaluated before [the agency] To determine if these incidents are related to the vaccine. ”“ The Norwegian government will also consider amending its vaccination regulations to take more into account the health of patients. ”
With mail wires
