WHO says Pfizer's vaccine safe to use as concerns rise post-Norway deaths
Pfizer vaccine
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that there is no evidence to substantiate that Pfizer-BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine has contributed to the deaths of the elderly and called for the use of the jab.
The deaths after receiving the vaccine "are in line with the expected, all-cause mortality rates and causes of death in the sub-population of frail, elderly individuals, and the available information does not confirm a contributory role for the vaccine in the reported fatal events," the statement by the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety said on Friday.
Watch |
It also said that the risk-benefit balance of the Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine "remains favourable in the elderly".
The statement comes at a time after 33 elderly died in Norway after receiving the first shot of the vaccine.
On Monday, the Norwegian government had said that there is no relation between those who receive Covid-19 vaccine and the deaths, adding that "they are people of advanced age, are frail and have serious illnesses".
Norway has also urged doctors to decide whether patients who are frail or terminally ill should receive the jab or not as is done in some other nations.
In a bid to curb the panic, Norwegian Medicines Agency on Monday said that contracting Covid-19 is more dangerous than getting vaccinated.