Finland announced on Thursday it will pause distribution of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to younger men, saying the small risk of heart inflammation exceeds the risk of contracting COVID-19 for that demographic.
The study, which found that men under 30 had a "slightly higher risk than others of developing myocarditis" after receiving the Moderna vaccine, is scheduled to be published within a couple of weeks. Mika Salminen, the Finnish health institute's director, said Finland will give younger men the Pfizer vaccine in the meantime, according to Reuters.
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Moderna said the incidents "are typically mild cases and individuals tend to recover within a short time following standard treatment and rest."
"The risk of myocarditis is substantially increased for those who contract COVID-19, and vaccination is the best way to protect against this," the company added.
On Wednesday, Swedish and Danish health officials announced they would pause the use of the Moderna vaccine for all young adults and children, citing the same unpublished study as Finland, the report added.
Myocarditis is the inflammation of the heart muscle, with symptoms including chest pain, shortness of breath, and feelings of having an abnormal heartbeat. The inflammation typically occurs a few days after the second COVID-19 vaccine injection. Despite this possibility, experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the benefits of getting vaccinated against COVID-19 outweigh the risks.
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Finland reported 666 new cases of the disease in the last 24 hours as of Thursday. Over 4.1 million people have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the country, with over 3,520,691 residents fully vaccinated as of Monday, the World Health Organization reported.
Representatives for Moderna did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner's request for comment.
Original Location: Finland pauses Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for men 30 and under due to heart inflammation risk
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