Sweden suspends Moderna COVID vaccine use for younger age groups

STOCKHOLM, October 6 (Reuters) – Sweden will suspend use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine (MRNA.O) for people born in 1991 and later after reports of possible rare side effects, such as myocarditis, the Swedish health agency announced on Wednesday.

The health agency said the data indicated an increase in myocarditis and pericarditis in young people and young adults who had been vaccinated.

“The link is particularly clear when it comes to Moderna’s Spikevax vaccine, especially after the second dose,” he said in a statement, “adding that the risk of being affected was very low.

The health agency said it is now recommending Pfizer / Biontech’s Comirnaty vaccine instead. People born in 1991 or later who had received a first Moderna stroke, some 81,000 people, would not get a second Moderna stroke, he added.

Earlier this week, the Swedish health agency said people between the ages of 12 and 15 would only receive the Pfizer / Biontech vaccine. L8N2R0440

The European Medicines Agency approved the use of Comirnaty in May, while Spikevax was given the green light for children over 12 in July. Read more

Reporting by Johan Ahlander; edited by Niklas Pollard

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