Twenty-three people died in Norway just days after receiving their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, with 13 of those deaths – all patients in nursing homes – apparently related to the side effects of the vaccines, health officials said.
Common reactions to the vaccine, including fever and nausea, “may have contributed to a fatal outcome in some fragile patients,” said Sigurd Hortemo, chief physician of the Norwegian Medicines Agency, in a statement on Friday.
All 13 were nursing home patients and were at least 80 years old. Although the authorities do not express serious concerns, they are adjusting their guidelines on who should receive the vaccine.
The news comes just over a week after authorities reported the deaths of only two nursing home residents after receiving the injection from Pfizer.
More than 30,000 people in Norway have received their first injection of the Pfizer or Moderna coronavirus vaccine in the Scandinavian country since the end of last month, according to official data.
“We are not alarmed by this,” Steinar Madsen, the agency’s medical director, told Norwegian broadcaster NRK. “It is quite clear that these vaccines have very little risk, with a small exception for the most fragile patients.”
“Doctors must now carefully consider who should be vaccinated,” he added. “Those who are very fragile and at the end of life can be vaccinated after an individual evaluation.”
The agency reported on Thursday that a total of 29 people suffered side effects, including the 13 people who died.
Twenty-one women and eight men experienced side effects, officials said.
In addition to those who died, nine had serious side effects – including allergic reactions, severe discomfort and severe fever – while seven had less severe effects, 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 noted that about 400 people die each week in the nursing home population.
A Pfizer representative said the pharmaceutical giant is “aware of reported deaths” after the vaccine was administered in Norway and is working with the Norwegian Medicines Agency “to gather all relevant information”.
“Norwegian authorities have prioritized the immunization of residents in nursing homes, most of whom are very elderly with underlying medical conditions and some who are terminally ill,” said a spokeswoman in a statement. “[The Norwegian Medicine Agency confirms] the number of incidents so far is not alarming and is in line with expectations. “
“All reported deaths will be thoroughly assessed by [the agency] to determine whether these incidents are related to the vaccine, ”he added. “The Norwegian government will also consider adjusting its vaccination instructions to take patients’ health into greater consideration.”