Health officials in Norway say there is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine was directly responsible for a series of deaths among the elderly.
The Norwegian Medicines Agency said all 33 people over the age of 75 who died after receiving the vaccination had serious underlying illnesses, Bloomberg reported.
“We cannot say people die from the vaccine,” medical director Steinar Madsen told the outlet on Monday.
“We can say it could be a coincidence. It is difficult to prove that the vaccine is the direct cause. “
Initial reports warned that the deaths occurred within days of receiving the Pfizer vaccine, with 13 of those fatalities – all nursing home patients – possibly linked to the side effects of the injections.
The Scandinavian country had only used the Pfizer vaccine before launching another from Moderna on Friday.
According to government figures, more than 42,000 people in the country have received at least one dose of a vaccine, which has given priority to the most vulnerable populations.
Madsen stressed on Monday that it is much more risky not to get the vaccine.
“It is clear that COVID-19 is much more dangerous for most patients than vaccination,” said Madsen. “We are not alarmed.”