The pandemic is still a fact but the vaccines continue to save lives.
Sweden has now entered a new phase where a third refill dose is offered around the country.
At the same time, the Medical Products Agency can state that it was the right decision to offer the Swedish people vaccines against covid-19.
- We see that the benefits continue to outweigh the risk, says Veronica Arthurson, head of drug safety at the Medical Products Agency.
3rd dose - no new side effects
The Medical Products Agency has so far received almost 90,000 reports of suspected side effects.
In most cases, these are transient symptoms such as headache, fever and pain in the arm.
Side effects regarding the third dose of vaccine so far do not differ from previous doses, according to the Medical Products Agency.
- This type of reaction is a response to the fact that the immune system has been activated, it is completely expected, says Veronica Arthurson.
Among the reports of side effects at the Medical Products Agency, more than 350 deaths have been registered, but this does not mean that it is the vaccine that has caused the deaths of the people, according to the authority.
- We see that the deaths mainly concern older people who have had other diseases in connection with their vaccination.
Few deaths
But there are, as SVT Nyheter reported earlier, a number of reports where the vaccine probably caused the deaths.
These are mainly people who have taken Astra Zeneca's vaccine, a vaccine that is no longer offered in Sweden.
- It is then about a few people who have suffered from blood clots and low levels of platelets, says Veronica Arthurson.
Regarding Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines, there are reports of myocarditis, especially among teenage boys and young men.
This is also a very unusual side effect, according to the Medical Products Agency.
People under 30 are advised to continue vaccinating, but now only with Pfizer's vaccine.
The reason is that Pfizer's vaccine is judged to increase the risk of myocarditis in this group than Modernas.
"Could not see connection"
Information about another suspected side effect, which among other things abounds on social media, has been that of menstrual disorders in connection with vaccination.
- This is a current issue.
However, when the European Medicines Agency evaluated the available data, it has so far not been possible to see any causal link.
There are individual doctors and researchers who do not believe in the vaccine, why should one trust the Medical Products Agency?
- Because we, together with other authorities, go through the scientific data that is available.
It is based on this that we make our conclusions and issue recommendations, says Veronica Arthurson, head of drug safety at the Medical Products Agency.