Nordic Countries Suspend Use of Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine in Young People

By Dominic Chopping

Finland on Thursday joined Nordic neighbors Sweden and Denmark in suspending use of Moderna Inc.'s Covid-19 vaccine in young people after reports of an increased risk of heart inflammation.

Finland's Institute for Health and Welfare said it will pause use of Moderna's vaccine for men under the age of 30, adopting a similar stance to other Nordic nations over concerns that the vaccine increases inflammation of both the heart muscle and the membrane that surrounds the heart.

The move comes after Denmark said Wednesday that it wouldn't offer under 18s the Moderna vaccine as a precautionary measure, while Sweden's Public Health Agency also said Wednesday it had paused use of the vaccine for everyone born in 1991 and later.

Swedish authorities said data point to an increased incidence of cardiovascular conditions in boys and young men especially, so they will suspend use of the vaccine until Dec. 1, when an update will be provided.

"New preliminary analyzes from Swedish and Nordic data sources indicate that the connection is especially clear when it comes to Moderna's vaccine Spikevax, especially after the second dose," the Swedish Public Health Agency said.

"The increase in risk is seen within four weeks after the vaccination, mainly within the first two weeks."

Norway also said yesterday that it recommends young people under the age of 18 avoid being jabbed with Moderna's vaccine.

"Men under the age of 30 should also consider choosing [BioNTech/Pfizer's] Comirnaty when they are to be vaccinated," said Geir Bukholm, deputy director general at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

Write to Dominic Chopping at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 07, 2021 06:20 ET (10:20 GMT)

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