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by Sharon Rondeau

(Oct. 8, 2021) — Bloomberg News reported Friday that the government of Iceland has suspended the administration of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine “on concern over side effects.”

In what is likely a translation, the complete article reads:

Iceland is joining its Nordic peers in halting inoculations with Moderna Inc.’s Spikevax shot on concern over side effects.

The Moderna jab, which has mostly been used in Iceland for second doses, won’t be used until more information over its safety has been collected, the chief epidemiologist said on Friday.

Sweden, Denmark and Finland have this week suspended the jabs for younger people because of the risk of heart inflammation as a potential side effect. Norway said men under 30 should consider choosing the Pfizer Inc.’s and BioNTech SE’s rival vaccine, and the other Nordic nations also recommended that as an alternative. Both vaccinations use messenger RNA technology to prompt an immune reaction.

A second source, Visir, written in Icelandic, is titled, according to Google Translate, “Stop the use of Moderna vaccine in Iceland in light of new data.”

Again according to Google Translate, the first paragraph reads, “The CDC has decided that Moderna’s vaccine against Covid-19 will not be used in Iceland while further information is obtained on the safety of the vaccine during induction vaccinations.”

“The CDC” may actually refer to Iceland’s Ministry of Health.

Former New York Times writer and author Alex Berenson, who launched a Substack website after being permanently banned from Twitter earlier this year, disseminated the Visir article to his subscribers with the note, “Not just for teenagers or people under 30. For everyone. The risk of heart problems is too high, according to their health authorities.”

“Visir” translates to “Vision.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

Since April 2021, increased cases of myocarditis and pericarditis have been reported in the United States after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna), particularly in adolescents and young adults. There has not been a similar reporting pattern observed after receipt of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine (Johnson & Johnson).

In most cases, patients who presented for medical care have responded well to medications and rest and had prompt improvement of symptoms. Reported cases have occurred predominantly in male adolescents and young adults 16 years of age and older. Onset was typically within several days after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, and cases have occurred more often after the second dose than the first dose. CDC and its partners are investigating these reports of myocarditis and pericarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination.

CDC continues to recommend COVID-19 vaccination for everyone 12 years of age and older given the risk of COVID-19 illness and related, possibly severe complications, such as long-term health problems, hospitalization, and even death.

The suspensions of the vaccine announced by the three Nordic governments on Wednesday, followed by Finland on Thursday, are limited to individuals 30 years of age or younger as a result of an unpublished study.  According to several sources, the “pause” in Moderna shots is temporary, until December 1.  In the case of Finland, the suspension applies only to “males under 30,” according to Firstpost. 

The second paragraph of Visir‘s article is roughly translated to:

The announcement follows recent days of data from the Nordic countries on the increased incidence of heart inflammation and gollum house inflammation after vaccination with Moderna’s vaccine excess vaccine Pfizer/BioNTech.
 
“In the case of the quarantine, Moderna’s vaccine for the past two months has almost exclusively been used here for induction vaccinations after the Janssen vaccine and after two doses of vaccination of the elderly and immunocompromised,” the article continues, according to Google Translate. “Then a handful of individuals are said to have received a second dose of basic vaccination that began with Moderna.”
 
Under the subheading translated as, “Sufficient availability of Pfizer,” the remaining three paragraphs reportedly translate to:
 
In Sweden, the use of Moderna has been exclusive to individuals born before 1991. In Norway and Denmark, Pfizer’s vaccine is recommended rather than Moderna for 12 to 17 year olds.
 
In Iceland, Only Pfizer’s vaccine has been recommended for basic vaccinations of 12 to 17 years since the start of the age group vaccinations.
 
In the case of the quarantine, a decision was made to wait for the use of Moderna as there is sufficient availability of Pfizer’s vaccine for stimulation vaccinations of defined priority groups and the basic vaccinations of those who have not yet been vaccinated.

Early Friday afternoon, The Post & Email contacted the Icelandic Ministry of Health‘s office to inquire as to whether or not the halting of the Moderna vaccine is temporary or permanent and if there are any population- or age-specific limitations. In response, we received the following:

Heilbrigðisráðuneytið staðfestir hér með að hafa móttekið erindi þitt / The Ministry of Health hereby confirms the receipt of your e-mail (The Ministry of Health hereby confirms the receipt of your e-mail)

Translating the message through the email’s Translate feature, the following appeared in place of the original Icelandic:

The Ministry of Health hereby confirms that you have received your application. / The Ministry of Health hereby confirms the receipt of your e-mail.

Please do not reply to this email, contact us via hrn@hrn.is / Do not reply to this email. Contact us with any queries via hrn@hrn.is

Attention is drawn to the fact that according to Art. Paragraph 2 Article 13 Information Act no. 140/2012, a ministry in the Government of Iceland is obliged to publish information from its case files electronically /
Note that, pursuant to art. 13., para. 2, or act no. 140/2012, a ministry in the Government of Iceland is obliged to publish information from its case files electronically.

Best regards

————————————————– ——————-

Ministry of Health
Skógarhlíð 6, 105 Reykjavík , phone / tel. +354 545 8700
www.stjornarradid.is – Disclaimer

Update, October 11, 10:14 AM EDT: Moments ago, The Post & Email received a response from the Iceland Ministry of Health, which reads:

Margrét Erlendsdóttir <Margret.Erlendsdottir@hrn.is>10:08 AM (6 minutes ago)

Tilvísun í mál: HRN21100077

Dear Sharon Rondeau.
Regarding your e-mail below.

The Chief Epidemiologist is the authority responible for decisions like that. He has announced that the use of Moderna vaccine is suspended while further information are provided on the safety of using Moderna vaccine for booster vaccinations.

If you need further information, please contact the Chief Epidemiologist at the Direcotorate of Health. The e-mail address is: mottaka@landlaeknir.is.

Best regards,
Margrét