Facebook posts get the information incorrect about the use of Moderna in Scandinavian countries
A post on social media misleads when it says that the use of the Moderna vaccine has completely ceased for everyone in Iceland and for all young people in other Scandinavian countries.
“Modern has been drawn in Iceland and drawn for everyone under the age of 30 in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark due to heart problems”, says the viral Facebook post.
The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat fake news and misinformation in its news feed. (Read more about spring collaboration with Facebook.)
The information is not correct. Iceland continues to administer Modern for booster shots for those 60 years and older. Of the other listed countries, only one – Sweden – has temporarily stopped the use of the Moderna vaccine for all persons under 30 years of age.
Finland has restricted the use of Moderna only to men and boys under 30 years of age. Norway recommends Pfizer over Moderna for some people but forbids anyone to take Moderna. And Denmark said that under the age of 18 they can request Moderna if desired.
The countries made the decisions in early October based on one unpublished study performed by health authorities from four of the five countries. The study showed an increased risk of myocarditis, so-called myocarditis, after vaccination with Moderna in adolescents and young adults, and mainly in boys and men. The public health authority noted “The risk of being affected is very small”, according to the Associated Press.
The study results are being evaluated by the European Medicines Agency and final results are expected soon.
Of the countries listed in the Facebook post, Iceland has taken the most far-reaching measures. First, the country’s health authorities said they would completely discontinue the use of Moderna. A few days later, they went back and said that the vaccine would be used as a booster for those 60 years and older “currently. ”
Sweden temporarily stopped the use of Modern for humans born 1991 or later. The country’s public health authority first said that the break would last until December 1, but later extended that deadline.
Finland does not administer Moderna to men and boys under 30 years of age. “The guidelines are a precautionary measure that will be re-evaluated when research data is accumulated,” Institute for Health and Welfare. reported.
In Norway, the country’s Public Health Institute recommend that those under 18 and men under 30 should be offered the Pfizer vaccine rather than Moderna, but also notes that “the side effect is rare and the absolute risk is still low.” The authority says that people have a choice: “Those who are to be vaccinated in the future can at least choose the type of vaccine they want, both as a first and second dose.”
Denmark said initially it was to pause the use of the Moderna vaccine for those younger than 18 years, but later clarified that people under the age of 18 could still request Moderna.
Our decision
A Facebook post said: “Modern has been drawn in Iceland and drawn for everyone under 30 in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark due to heart problems.”
The information is incorrect. Iceland has not “withdrawn” the Moderna vaccine and still uses it for some people over 60 years of age.
Of the other countries, Sweden has temporarily stopped the use of Moderna for all persons under the age of 30, but Finland restricts the use only for men under the age of 30. Norway and Denmark recommend that young people take vaccines other than Moderna but do not require it.
We rate this statement as false.