Iceland halted the use of Moderna vaccines in 2021, not 2023.

By: Christian Haag
November 30 2023

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(Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

Context

A YouTube video by YouTuber and retired nurse educator Dr. John Campbell has gone viral on social media, claiming that Iceland recently stopped providing Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines. In the original YouTube video published on November 27, 2023, Campbell claims that the news came out "last month" and continues to show Icelandic articles describing how the Moderna vaccines were halted due to myocarditis and pericarditis.

This narrative has been reproduced on Facebook and Twitter, claiming, "Iceland halts Moderna jabs over heart-inflammation fears."

However, the claim is misleading.

In fact

While Iceland has halted the use of the Moderna vaccine due to the slight risk of myocarditis (heart muscle inflammation) and pericarditis (inflammation of the lining around the heart), they did so back in 2021, not in 2023, as some have claimed. Iceland also made the call because they had a sufficient supply of the Pfizer vaccine. This news followed after other Nordic countries suspended the use of the Moderna vaccine to different degrees.

Despite talking about the news as recent, Dr. Campbell refers to an article in MedicalXpress from October 8, 2021, and Icelandic Review from October 9, 2021, as well as an announcement from the Icelandic Directorate of Health. However, the announcement from the agency has been removed from the website. It was archived once on March 11, 2023, but was removed from the website. Despite the article's age, it has not stopped social media users from sharing the articles online as if the news was recent.

Logically Facts contacted the Icelandic Directorate of Health who confirms that Iceland has not used the Moderna-vaccine for COVID-19 since October 2021.

Dr. John Campbell runs a YouTube channel known for spreading false claims about COVID-19 vaccines. Logically Facts has previously fact-checked his claims here and here.

Myocarditis and pericarditis have been established as rare side effects of COVID-19 vaccines. However, the risk has been deemed to outweigh that associated with COVID-19 infection. Furthermore, research has shown that COVID-19 infection has a higher likelihood of causing myocarditis than the vaccine itself. 

The verdict

Considering that Iceland halted the use of the Moderna vaccines in 2021 and not in 2023 due to an adequate supply of Pfizer shots and not because of side effects, we have marked this claim as misleading. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19, including symptoms, prevention, and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organization or your national healthcare authority.

Update December 12 2023: Added comment from Icelandic Directorate of Health.