In Norway, the organization VaxVeritas has been formed to support covid vaccine victims in the country. Its members, who have suffered serious side effects from the vaccine, are now demanding recognition and compensation for their injuries.
Three weeks after his second dose of Pfizer’s covid vaccine, 43-year-old Karl-Erik Hordnes from Bergen fell ill. He experienced fatigue, a high pulse, lactic acid in his legs, brain fog and difficulty concentrating. Before taking the covid vaccine, he was an active outdoorsman and nature photographer, but today he is on 60% sick leave and unable to pursue his hobbies. Last fall, he took part in a report on the side effects of the covid vaccine on Norwegian state broadcaster TV2.
– On the same day, feedback started pouring in from people all over the country who were finally able to read something they could relate to, Hordnes told NRK.
In response, he and other victims of covid vaccine injuries formed the organization VaxVeritas, which now has nearly 200 members.
– It’s important to emphasize that there are people who did not tolerate this vaccine. We vaccine-injured people are a lost group, says Vibeke Larsen, 52, from Bergen, who is a member of the organization.
In Norway, about 80 percent have taken at least one dose of the covid vaccine, and 8,052 cases of suspected serious side effects have been reported to the Norwegian Medicines Agency as of September 21 this year. However, the Agency emphasizes that this does not mean that all reported adverse reactions were caused by the covid vaccine. In addition, the Agency believes that there is currently “no reason to change the current general recommendations for the vaccine”.
As of October 1, 1,575 people had applied for compensation from the Norwegian Patient Injury Fund (NPE) for side effects caused by the injection. However, at the time of writing, more than twice as many claims have been rejected as approved.
321 claimants have received a total of NOK 15 million (1,27 M) in compensation, while 694 have been denied compensation. The organization is demanding government recognition, treatment and compensation for all those who have been injured by the covid vaccine.
– The assurances that the vaccine was safe and effective are an insult to many people who took this vaccine in good faith, said Hordes.
– I think the lack of follow-up by the health authorities and the lack of recognition through patient compensation is a complete scandal, he continues.
However, State Secretary Ole Henrik Krat Bjørkholt says that the Ministry of Health has acted in an honest and open communication regarding both the pros and cons of the covid vaccine.
– This is necessary for the population to have confidence in the vaccines recommended by the authorities, he says. Serious adverse reactions are very rare. But it does not help those who suffer from these serious side effects, and we have to take this very seriously, says Bjørkholt.
