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Health authority says Denmark has not withdrawn Moderna Covid-19 vaccine from under-18s

Ritzau/The Local
Ritzau/The Local - [email protected]
Health authority says Denmark has not withdrawn Moderna Covid-19 vaccine from under-18s
FILE PHOTO: Vials with Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine labels are seen in this illustration picture taken March 19, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

The Danish Health Authority confirmed on Friday that it is still allowing people aged 12-17 to receive the Covid-19 vaccine from Moderna. The authority earlier this week stated this was not the case.

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On Wednesday, the authority stated that people under the age of 18 would no longer be offered the Covid-19 vaccine from Moderna in a precautionary measure.

But this is not the case, with the incorrect information due to an “unclear formulation”, which has since been updated.

If a person in the 12-17 age group wants to receive the Moderna vaccine, they can request it, the health authority said in a revised statement. Unlike the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines, Moderna is still available in Denmark’s mainstream vaccination programme for the age group.

Around 1,100 people aged under 18 have been given the Moderna vaccine, according to information released by the Danish Health Authority.

The vaccine is easier to transport than the equivalent from Pfizer/BioNTech and has therefore been used on islands and by some mobile vaccination units.

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A new Nordic study assessed the risk of meningitis and myocarditis, both of which are known but very rare side effects of Covid-19 vaccination.

Initial data raised the possibility of increased risk of myocarditis with the Moderna vaccine.

The number of cases recorded is very low, as is the risk of the side effect, the Danish Health Authority said in its statement on Wednesday.

“In Denmark, we have not seen more cases of myocarditis or any apparent difference between the two vaccines in the Danish vaccination programme,” Danish Health Authority head of department Bolette Søborg said.

“Both are extremely effective and we see few, and in the vast majority of cases mild and well-known side effects,” Søborg added.

Preliminary data from the Nordic study has been send to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for assessment by its side effects committee.

The Danish Health Authority said it would subsequently follow the assessment from the EMA and decide whether to change current recommendations accordingly.

Symptoms of myocarditis can include tiredness, irregular pulse, fever, chest pain, pain taking deep breaths and pain on the left hand side or in the centre of the chest, according to a statement this week by Sweden’s health authority, Folkhälsomyndigheten. The Swedish health authority announced on Wednesday that it would pause the use of the Moderna vaccine for people born after 1991.

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