(Reuters) Finland has joined Sweden and Denmark as countries pausing the use of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine for younger males due to risks of a rare cardiovascular side effect.
The move happened following a Nordic study which showed that males under the age of 30 who received Moderna’s Spikevax jab were at a slightly higher risk of myocarditis.
Finland’s decision follows similar moves by Swedish and Danish health officials. Norwegian health officials have since recommended the Pfizer vaccine for males under the age of 30.
In July, the European Medicines Agency said the inflammatory cardiovascular conditions after Moderna’s or the Pfizer/BioNTech jab could occur in sporadic cases, especially in younger males.
US, EU, and WHO have stressed that the benefits of Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech in overcoming Covid-19 outweigh the risks.
Some countries such as Italy have said they will not suspend the Moderna vaccine, citing the green light issued by international authorities.
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