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On Friday, the National Institute of Public Health will present its decision on the AstraZeneca vaccine.
There, they will give answers on whether the vaccine should be resumed, possibly reaching the same decision as the Danish authorities: a new three-week break.
Vaccine researcher Even Fossum from Rikshospitalet’s Department of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine believes that continuing to use the AstraZeneca vaccine may create unnecessary risk if it turns out to cause serious side effects.
TRUST: Vaccine researcher Even Fossum believes that serious side effects can undermine confidence in coronary vaccines in general and, in the worst case, lead to lower long-term vaccine coverage. Photo: Ingvild Gjerdsjø / TV 2
– Can contribute to various cases
The vaccine for the Swedish-British pharmaceutical company has been put on hold in Norway after several cases of serious side effects.
Several people have had the rare combination of blood clots, bleeding, and low platelet counts after receiving the vaccine. Three people have died from this condition after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine.
– If it is the case that the vaccine leads to this rare condition, we must stop using it, says Fossum to TV 2.
Fossum emphasizes that he is not making statements on behalf of his employer.
On Thursday, the Norwegian Medicines Agency said it believes there is a probable connection to the AstraZeneca vaccine and these rare cases.
They say more research is needed to clarify what triggers the rare disease box.
Little infection
Fossum believes that we run the risk that continued use of the vaccine could contribute to several serious cases of side effects during a period when the spread of infection is likely to slow.
WOULD TAKE IT: Vaccine researcher Even Fossum says he had taken the AstraZeneca vaccine even though it has a small risk of serious side effects, but is less sure if he would recommend that his loved ones take it. Photo: Ingvild Gjerdsjø / TV 2
In a post on Vaksinebloggen earlier this week, Fossum writes that although infection in Norway is increasing, there is still little to no infection in much of the country.
– Therefore, having to vaccinate with the AstraZeneca vaccine in these regions will not necessarily prevent severe cases of covid-19, but could lead to serious side effects, he writes.
In connection with Easter, stricter measures have been introduced across the country, which will likely lead to a reduction in infection.
Although we have new virus variants, the summer months are likely to help reduce infection pressure, says Fossum.
– Again there is the risk that we will use the AstraZeneca vaccine during a period of low infection pressure, and we are left mainly with the possible side effects, writes the vaccine researcher.
Risk vs. utility
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) believes that the usefulness of the vaccine outweighs the risk and recommends continued use of the vaccine. They have repeatedly said that it is safe and effective.
Fossum believes that risk-benefit assessments are fluid and vary from country to country depending on the pressure of the infection.
– If the Norwegian health service knelt down, would you have wanted to say more then?
– I had enough. Tolerance to side effects will be higher if there is a very high infection pressure and the health service has had major problems, says Fossum.
The fact that the Norwegian vaccine program will not be long delayed if the AstraZenca vaccine is phased out, he also believes is an argument for not having to use the vaccine.
– Vaccines must be safe and must be administered to healthy people. It is important that the population feels that it is safe to get vaccinated, says Fossum.
He believes that serious side effects can undermine confidence in coronary vaccines in general and, in the worst case, lead to less long-term vaccine coverage.
Different practices in the Nordic countries
Denmark has chosen to pause vaccination with AstraZeneca for another three weeks because they have not reached any conclusions from the tests they have carried out so far.
On Thursday, Iceland resumed vaccination with AstraZeneca after pausing it on the same day as Norway and Denmark.
In Sweden and Finland, the vaccine has been discontinued for people under 65 years of age. Those over 65 will be offered the vaccine.
– The vaccine is much more beneficial for the elderly. Many people get seriously ill with COVID-19 every day. At the same time, we have not seen a risk of rare and serious side effects in the elderly, says director Johan Carlson of the Public Health Authority of the decision.
Although the EMA has stated that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe, evaluation of the vaccine continues.
This weekend, a group of experts will meet to provide information on evaluating whether the vaccine leads to an increased risk of blood clots, including special cases in which patients are also low on platelets, the EMA states in a statement from press.
