Narcolepsy blunder spurs fear of Covid vaccine in Sweden

Stockholm (AFP)

Do you take the vaccine developed in a hurry? Like hundreds of other young Swedes, Meissa Chebbi, who suffered from debilitating narcolepsy after a mass vaccination campaign against a swine flu pandemic from 2009 to 2010, never says again.

This experience has shaken Swedes’ confidence in future vaccines for the new coronavirus and exacerbated concerns about unknown long-term side effects.

“I would never recommend it,” 21-year-old Chebbi told AFP when asked about taking a rapidly developed vaccine. “Unless you really need to take it because of a life-threatening situation.”

The Swedish case highlights the complex challenges facing the government in deploying vaccines against the coronavirus. Especially when false information on rabies social media is skeptical about state agencies and the disease itself.

Trauma to vaccines is especially noticeable in Sweden. Sweden typically participates in more than 90% of voluntary child vaccination programs.

However, according to a recent survey conducted by the Novus pollster, 26% of Swedes have no plans to receive the Covid-19 vaccine under development, and 28% are undecided.

Forty-six percent said they would get a jab.

Of those who opposed it, 87 percent said it was due to fear of side effects that were still unknown.

In 2009, Scandinavian national health officials urged the public to voluntarily take the Pandemrix vaccine against swine flu produced by the British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline.

Over 60% listened to this call. This is the highest level in the world.

However, Chebbi and hundreds of other people, mainly children under the age of 30 and young adults, were later diagnosed with narcolepsy as a side effect of the vaccine.

Eventually, a link to an adjuvant or booster for the Pandemlix vaccine aimed at enhancing the immune response was established.

Narcolepsy is a chronic disorder of the nervous system that causes excessive, often uncontrolled drowsiness.

“I always have sleep attacks at the wrong time in every situation … at meals, job interviews, lectures, seminars, colleges. I fall asleep at work, I fall asleep on the bus, and everywhere.” Chebbi says.

“It destroyed my life.”

So far, Swedish pharmaceutical insurance has approved 440 of the 702 narcolepsy claims related to Pandemrix and paid a total of Skr 100 million (€ 9.8 million, $ 11.6 million).

-‘If we know’-

Sweden’s state epidemiologist and face of the country’s controversial “softer” response to the new coronavirus, Anders Tegnell, a health commission expert who demanded mass vaccination from 2009 to 2010. I was one of the group.

“Of course, if we knew about the side effects, the decisions would have been completely different, but they were completely unknown and surprising to everyone,” Tegnell told AFP in an interview.

“There has been an international consensus over the years that the best thing to do during a pandemic is vaccination, and that is really the only long-term solution we have.”

Stockholm-based 36-year-old Bavis Stephanides said he was too cautious to get infected with Covid Jab.

“I’m not going to get the vaccine,” he told AFP. “Too many questions.”

Tegnell said he understood the Swedes’ concerns.

“Of course, when we have a new vaccine we don’t know much about-for diseases we don’t know much-everyone … wants to have more information before they make a decision. I’m thinking this. “

“I’ll let you know if I know a little more about these vaccines.”

Tegnell has ruled out making future vaccines mandatory.

According to Johann Carlson, director of the Public Health Agency of Sweden, 60 to 70 percent of the population will need to be vaccinated to stop the spread of the virus.

“Everyone has to think and decide what to do. Usually in Sweden, most people will be vaccinated,” Carlson told Swedish television on Sunday.

To alleviate fear, Sweden plans to set up a register to quickly detect the side effects of future Covid vaccines.

-Problem solidarity-

Hannah Rein, a 37-year-old social worker in Stockholm, said she, her husband, and their three children would definitely be vaccinated, despite her fears.

“Once we realize that it’s approved in the market and public health agencies and society are saying that we should take the vaccine, we’ll do it,” she told AFP.

“We have to take moral responsibility for the elderly and the sick. We take it for the sake of society, not for us.”

Such an idea worries Elizabeth Weidle, president of the Narcolepsy Society.

She says it was not a mistake for health officials to demand mass vaccinations in 2009, but they over-appeal to the Swedes’ sense of solidarity and hope they will never do so.

“People who choose not to be vaccinated should not be blamed or embarrassed. It is not an obligation, so it means a free choice.”

She urged the Swedes to “analyze your own risks and interests.”

Shebi, a patient with narcolepsy, remains determined.

“I’m not going to get the (Covid) vaccine until about five years after I know what the risks are.”

© 2020 AFP