Twenty-three people died in Norway within days of receiving their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, with 13 of those deaths – all nursing home patients – apparently linked to the side effects of the shots, health officials said.
Common reactions to the vaccine, including fever and nausea, “may have contributed to a fatal outcome in some vulnerable patients,” Sigurd Hortemo, chief physician at the Norwegian Medicines Agency, said in a statement Friday.
All 13 were nursing home patients and at least 80 years old. While officials are not raising serious concerns, they are adjusting their guidelines about who should receive the vaccine.
The news comes just over a week after officials reported the deaths of just two nursing home residents after receiving the Pfizer shot.
According to official figures, more than 30,000 people in Norway have received the first shot of the Pfizer or Moderna coronavirus vaccine in the Scandinavian country since late last month.
“We are not alarmed by this,” Steinar Madsen, medical director at the agency, told Norwegian broadcaster NRK. “It is quite clear that these vaccines have very little risk, with a small exception for the most vulnerable patients.”
“Doctors now need to carefully consider who should be vaccinated,” he added. “Those who are very vulnerable and at the end of their lives can be vaccinated after an individual assessment.”
The agency reported on Thursday that a total of 29 people had suffered from 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 serious side effects, including severe pain at the injection site.
According to Johns Hopkins University, a total of more than 57,000 cases and 500 deaths from the coronavirus have been reported in Norway.
Health officials noted that about 400 people die in the nursing home population every week.
A Pfizer representative said the pharmaceutical giant is “aware of reported deaths” following administration of the vaccine in Norway and is working with the Norwegian Medicines Agency “to gather all relevant information.”
“The Norwegian authorities have prioritized the immunization of nursing home residents, most of whom are very elderly with underlying medical conditions and some are terminally ill,” a spokeswoman said in a statement. “[The Norwegian Medicine Agency confirms] the number of incidents so far is not alarming and in line with expectations. “
“All reported deaths will be thoroughly evaluated by [the agency] to determine if these incidents are related to the vaccine, ”she added. “The Norwegian government will also consider adapting their vaccination instructions to take more account of patients’ health.”