This decision owed to “the increased incidence of myocarditis and pericarditis after vaccination with the Moderna vaccine, as well as with vaccination using Pfizer-BioNTech,” the chief epidemiologist said in a statement.
Iceland has suspended administration of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine because of “the increased incidence of myocarditis and pericarditis” as a potential side effect. While Iceland has suspended the Moderna vaccine entirely, other Nordic neighbours have moved to set it aside for those under 18.
The Moderna jab, sold under the brand name Spikevax, has mostly been used in Iceland for second doses, but will not be used again until more information relating to its safety has been collected, the chief epidemiologist stated on Friday 8 October.
Denmark, Finland and Sweden all suspended the jabs for younger people this week, citing the risk of cardiac inflammation. Norway said men under the age of 30 should consider other vaccines, with other Nordic nations also recommending that as an alternative to taking the Moderna vaccine. Iceland however, goes a step further by suspending the vaccine entirely.
On Wednesday, the Swedish health authority cited new data on the increased risk of heart inflammation as a reason for the pause of administration for those under the age of 30, whilst Denmark and Norway will stop giving the shot to people under the age of 18, formally advising against its use for those in this age bracket.
A statement published on the website of Iceland’s Health Directorate read:
“As the supply of Pfizer vaccine is sufficient in the territory … the chief epidemiologist has decided not to use the Moderna vaccine in Iceland.”
The chief epidemiologist said that the suspension was a result of “the increased incidence of myocarditis and pericarditis after vaccination with the Moderna vaccine, as well as with vaccination using Pfizer-BioNTech.”
It is believed that 88% of Iceland’s population has already been fully vaccinated. Over the last two months, Iceland has been administering an extra dose of the Moderna vaccine “almost exclusively” to Icelanders vaccinated with Janssen, a single-dose vaccine marketed by America’s Johnson & Johnson. The Moderna vaccine has also been given to elderly and immunocompromised people who received two doses of another vaccine
Health authorities in Iceland, Denmark and Norway also suspended the use of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine in the wake of reports of the formation of blood clots in some people who had taken the jab.
Austria earlier suspended a batch of AstraZeneca shots while an investigation was launched into a death from coagulation disorders and an illness from a pulmonary embolism. Europe is struggling to accelerate a vaccine rollout after delivery delays from both Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
Denmark suspended AstraZeneca shots for a fortnight after a 60-year-old woman who had taken the shot from the same batch used in Austria tragically developed a blood clot and died, Danish health authorities have said.
In Iceland, the family of a woman who died after taking the AstraZeneca vaccine are demanding an investigation into her death. Reports state that a 72-year-old woman died a day after receiving her first dose of the vaccine; her family want to know whether the vaccination and her death correlate.
The World Health Organisation maintains that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweighs its risks, and the organisation continues to recommend the vaccine’s use.
In relation to the Moderna shots and the associated risk of heart inflammation, Swedish authorities have said that most of these inflammations are benign and pass on their own. However they do recommend that those affected seek medical advice should symptoms manifest.