Sølje Bergman: – This is what he says about the noise of vaccines now

In mid-January, another round of “Farmen kjendis” is set and twelve famous people must work together to run a farm, one hundred years back in time.

One of them is the actor and coach Sølje Bergman (45).

New participants of “Farmen celebrity”

However, when you Google his name, the second hit is the title “Sølje Bergman is more dangerous for children than vaccines”, an article in Bergens Tidende from 2015.

The title is the reaction Bergman remembers best from all the noise that led her to go out in public and ask questions about the childhood immunization program.

Not an opponent

Despite the fact that it has been five years since the vaccine storm devastated the 45-year-old woman, people still associate her as an opponent of the vaccine, something of which she has grown weary.

– I’m not an opponent, I’m skeptical. Skeptic means that I want to know the truth about things, something that I want most of all. This also applies to all the other things in children’s lives: everyone does it, it is wise, it is safe. What was a shame about the debate at the time was that they saw me as an opponent, which caused the debate to stall. I just wanted an open and honest discussion. I have the greatest respect for people who react, because it is a difficult subject, but it is even more important to talk about it without painting individual opinion black, he tells Dagbladet.

Bergman explains that his message was that he wanted to do his own research before making a decision, which means not blindly trusting either the science or the neighbor.

It emphasizes that children have received and are receiving vaccines.

– Whenever there is a legal option, I invoke the freedom to make the decision as an independent individual.

Bergman had never imagined that statements about the childhood immunization program would receive much attention. She remembers the statements from that moment and believes that it could have been explained better.

– It was a bit careless, I did not know how much emotion aroused in the population. I do not regret taking the debate, I have no way to do it, he says.

– Disrespectful and sad

In light of the ongoing corona pandemic, Bergman also highlights the swine flu of 2009, when 2.2 million Norwegians were vaccinated. 156 people, mainly children and young people, have subsequently received compensation from the State after being diagnosed with narcolepsy.

Must be vaccinated

Swine flu vaccination has been covered in several cases at Dagbladet this winter.

The 45-year-old believes that trust in people, in the wake of what happened after the swine flu vaccine, has become somewhat fragile and that people are much more skeptical when we now face a new emergency vaccine.

– Now you see that people are skeptical, knowing what happened after the swine flu. The vaccine is not the complete answer to the pandemic, but the vaccine together with the measures can help reduce the infection and hopefully eradicate it. We don’t know enough, but everyone agrees that there are potential side effects.

Several surveys have been conducted on whether or not Norwegians will be vaccinated, and this number has varied. The latest Norwegian Corona Monitor Opinion poll shows that one in eight says no.

– Are you going to get the corona vaccine?

– I’ll make an assessment of that when it’s my turn. It generally takes many years to make a vaccine, so when it’s done in less than a year, you obviously don’t know everything. But I hope everything goes well this time, also to strengthen trust in people, replies the celebrity of “Farmen”.

Killed over conspiracy theory

Doctor: – There is no reason for skepticism.

The famous doctor Wasim Zahid tells Dagbladet that there is no reason to be skeptical about the established vaccines that are in the childhood vaccination program.

– Vaccines are one of the greatest triumphs of modern medicine. They have saved millions of lives and even more from disease and suffering. The vaccines that we have in the childhood immunization program, and other established vaccines, are used so widely that we can say with certainty that they are safe and effective. If you think about it rationally, there’s no reason for general skepticism about vaccines, he says.

However, Zahid says he understands those who are skeptical of emergency vaccines used shortly after a new disease has emerged. However, he believes there is no reason for this.

– It is not the case that these vaccines have come completely out of nowhere. They are made on the basis of known techniques and, after all, they have undergone a lot of testing in the last year. The upcoming corona vaccines have now been tested in tens of thousands of people. No serious side effects have been reported, which means that we can already say that if there are side effects, they are very rare, says the doctor.

Supports the crown lantern

– May affect the health of others

There are known to be sharp fronts on those on opposite sides of the debate – Bergman says she has been called a “child killer,” though she emphasizes that she never advised anyone to stay away from vaccines.

Zahid is sure questions are being asked and thinks it’s okay to express skepticism, but thinks it’s important that you choose your words carefully so as not to create confusion and misunderstandings.

– When what you say has to do with life and health, you must be aware of your responsibility, you must think that what you say can affect the health of other people. So at least you should know what you are talking about and have professional experience. Of course, this does not mean that ordinary people cannot participate in such a discussion, he concludes.

Several types of corona vaccines are awaiting EU approval, so they can be shipped to member countries, including Norway. On December 27 the vaccination will begin.