Norway’s sudden reluctance to vaccinate the most vulnerable should not call into question the reliability of the vaccines or the strategy here.
This is what the virologist and professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Quebec in Montreal, Benoît Barbeau believes.
No zero risk
The chief medical officer at the Norwegian Medical Agency, Sigurd Hortemo, said on Saturday that fever and nausea from the Pfizer vaccine may have contributed to the deaths of particularly frail elderly people. Norwegian Public Health therefore asks doctors to properly assess the risks for patients whose remaining lifespan is very short.
The 13 victims were all over 80 years old and in poor health.
According to Benoît Barbeau, vaccines can indeed cause side effects such as fever, nausea and rash in a tiny part of the population.
Benoit barbeau
Virologist
“Some may have a predisposition to these side effects. However, the vaccine is the most reliable way out of this pandemic. There is no such thing as zero risk in life, ”he said.
According to him, the vaccines currently on the market are “probably the safest vaccines ever created.”
“Canadian authorities are closely monitoring the situation. We must focus on success rates rather than small exceptions, ”he adds.
Benoît Barbeau asks Quebec to speed up the awareness campaign on vaccines instead.
Raise awareness
According to a survey conducted by Maison Léger last November, 73% of Quebecers and 69% of Canadians said they intended to be vaccinated.
“There is still a part of the population to be convinced. Quebec must answer the questions of citizens who are still uncertain. Many are afraid that vaccines have been designed too quickly or question the reliability of RNA technology, ”said Mr. Barbeau.
Mr. Barbeau considers that the Government of Quebec has so far attached very little importance to this question “in the interest of all”.