Severe side effects a minority of vaccinations

Latest report released by the Danish Medicines Agency

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The Danish Medicines Agency (Lægemiddelstyrelsen) has released its latest weekly update of side effect reports from the three COVID vaccines currently in use in Denmark. It found severe reactions to vaccinations made up a small percentage.

AstraZeneca 

The Danish Medicines Agency has received over 20,000 reports of possible AstraZeneca side effects. Of those, 499 were determined to be legitimate and linked to the vaccination. The “vast majority” were mild to moderate reactions with symptoms you might expect from being vaccinated such as fever, headache, chills, and muscle and joint pain. 

13 of the 499 cases were considered severe allergic reactions, including eight that were anaphylactic. Most were treated at the vaccination center, while some “resulted in short-term hospitalization.” 

Lægemiddelstyrelsen says it has had four reports of blood clotting in connection with recent AstraZeneca vaccinations. It says none were fatal and,  “in all four cases, an association with the vaccine is considered less likely.” 

That said, it adds it is investigating two cases, one of them fatal, with “an unusual disease picture” namely bleeding, blood clotting in the small and large blood vessels, and a low platelet count. So far the Danish Medicines Agency says, “at present, it cannot be concluded whether there may be a connection with the vaccine.” 

It is also looking into another death that happened after an AstraZeneca vaccination “where it is still unknown whether this is the unusual disease picture.”

Pfizer was the first vaccine to be approved for use in Denmark and it has by far the most widespread use. Out of over 750,000 total Pfizer vaccinations at the time of this report, the Danish Medicines Agency has found 1,318 valid cases of vaccine related side effects. All but 71 were mild to moderate cases of injection site pain, headaches, fatigue, and fevers over a day or two - normal post vaccination reactions. Of the 71 cases considered to be severe allergic reactions, the Danish Medicines Agency determined only 59 were related to the vaccine. Of those, 25 were anaphylactic reactions with most (19) occurring after the first inoculation. Most were treated at the vaccination center and released. Some “resulted in a short-term hospitalization for observation.”

As it has determined in every side effects update so far, the Danish Medicines Agency's continued preliminary assessment is “that anaphylactic reactions occur more frequently than expected.”

Lægemiddelstyrelsen also says it has assessed eight reports of Pfizer related post-vaccination blood clots. It has determined that in six of those cases “a connection with the vaccine is considered less likely.” In the other two cases there were blood clots in the arm where the person was vaccinated and “it cannot be ruled out that the cause is due to the vaccination.” 

The agency has also investigated 41 reports of deaths after vaccination. In all 41 instances it found “that it is less likely that there is a connection with the vaccine, and that it is overwhelmingly probable that the deaths are due to other conditions.” It is important to note Pfizer vaccinations have largely gone to the oldest people, most of them in care homes, who are dealing with a number of underlying health conditions. 

The Moderna vaccine hasn’t been used in nearly as many vaccinations as Pfizer or AstraZeneca in Denmark.. The Danish Medicines Agency says it has far fewer reports of post-vaccination side effects, just 28. All but one were mild to moderate adverse reactions like fatigue, headache, fever, and pain or itching around the injection site. There was one case of anaphylaxis related to the vaccination. The person was treated and released.