Norway investigates deaths of 23 vaccinated elderly people

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

ノルウェー、ワクチン接種の高齢者２３人の死亡例を調査

2021.01.19 Tue posted at 10:08 JST

 （ＣＮＮ） ノルウェーで身体機能の低下した高齢者２３人が、米ファイザー製の新型コロナウイルスワクチンを接種した後で死亡したとの報告を受け、専門家らが副作用との関係を調べている。

同ワクチンの副作用としては、まれに軽い発熱や吐き気などが起きることが分かっている。体力の衰えた患者にとっては、こうした症状が命取りになる可能性も指摘される。

同国の公衆保健研究所（ＦＨＩ）は死亡例の報告を受け、高齢で身体機能が低下した患者や終末期患者に対するワクチン投与の指針を改訂。医師が一人ひとりの患者について、投与のメリットが発生し得る副作用のリスクを上回るかどうかを判断することとした。

ノルウェーでは１４日までに、４万２０００人が第１回の接種を済ませた。ほかの多くの国と同様、新型ウイルス感染の重症化リスクが特に高いグループとして、基礎疾患のある高齢者や介護施設の入居者が優先されている。

ノルウェー医薬品局（ＮＯＭＡ）は声明で、対象グループの性質上、死亡がワクチン接種の時期と重なる例も想定されると指摘。国内の介護施設や長期療養施設では週に平均４００人が死亡すると説明している。

専門家らの間でも、今のところワクチン接種と死亡の因果関係を示す証拠はなく、患者が接種直後に偶然死亡することもあり得るとの見方が強い。米国立アレルギー感染症研究所のファウチ所長は、介護施設の入居者のうち、ワクチン接種を受けていないグループの死亡率を調べることが先決だと強調した。

ＦＨＩとＮＯＭＡは１５日、これまでに死者２３人のうち１３人のケースを調査したと発表。ファイザーはＮＯＭＡと協力し、あらゆる関連情報の収集に努めていると述べた。

Translation

(CNN) In Norway twenty-three elderly people with impaired physical function had died after being vaccinated with the new Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, and experts were investigating the relationship with vaccine side effects.

It was known that the side effects of the vaccine were rare, such as mild fever and nausea. It had also been pointed out that these symptoms could be fatal for patients who were weak.

Following reports of deaths, the National Institute of Public Health (FHI) revised its guidelines for vaccination of patients who had impaired body conditions due to old age and those with terminal illness. Physicians had to decide on each patient whether the merits of vaccination would outweigh the risks of possible side effects.

By the 14th, 42,000 people had completed their first vaccination in Norway. As in many other countries, those groups with a particularly high-risk response to the new virus infection were prioritized: the elderly with underlying illnesses and the residents of long-term care facilities.

The Norwegian Pharmacy (NOMA) said in a statement that due to the nature of these targeted groups, deaths could coincide with the time of vaccination. It explained that an average of 400 people die a week at domestic nursing homes and in long-term care facilities.

Even among experts, there was currently no evidence of a causal link between vaccination and death, and there was a strong belief that patients might die accidentally immediately after vaccination. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, emphasized that the first step should be looking into the mortality rate of the unvaccinated groups living in long-term care facility.

FHI and NOMA announced on the 15th that they had investigated of 13 cases out of the 23 dead so far. Pfizer said it was working with NOMA to collect all the relevant information.

              So, the situation in Norway would become clearer when all the 23 deaths are investigated.