Sweden and Denmark pause the use of Modern vaccine for young people – POLITICO
Following reports of possible rare side effects, Denmark and Sweden stopped using Moderna’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday.
Latest data points to an increase in heart inflammation (myocarditis) and inflammation of the pericardium (pericarditis).
“The connection is particularly clear when it comes to Moderna’s vaccine Spikevax, especially after the second dose,” says the Swedish Health Authority in a statement. It added that “the risk of being affected is very small.”
In Sweden, the break affects people born in 1991 or later. In Denmark, all people under the age of 18 would no longer receive the Moderna vaccine, the country’s health bureau announced.
Those who have already received their first Modern shot will not receive a second shot from the same manufacturer. “Discussions are ongoing about the best solution for this group”, says the Swedish health care agency.
Earlier this week, the Swedish authority had already stated that people between the ages of 12 and 15 would only receive the BioNtech / Pfizer vaccine.
In May 2021, the BioNtech / Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for children over 12. Modern Spikevax was approved for young people between the ages of 12 and 17 just two months later, in July 2021.