Get PolitiFact in your inbox.

Ciara O'Rourke
By Ciara O'Rourke October 13, 2021

No, Europe hasn’t completely banned Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine among young people

If Your Time is short

  • Some European countries have limited use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine among younger people. The continent has not completely banned the vaccine, as the post says. 
 

"Europe COMPLETELY BANS the Moderna vaccine for young people due to HIGH RISK of heart inflammation," reads the title of a video that’s being shared on social media. 

A few countries have limited Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine among young people there, but by no means has the entire continent banned it. 

This post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)

On Oct. 6, Sweden said it was pausing administering the Moderna vaccine to people born in 1991 or later, and Denmark said they were pausing giving it to people younger than 18, because of the risk of possible rare cardiovascular side effects. 

Featured Fact-check

On Oct. 7, Finland followed suit and said it would give Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to men and boys born in 1991 and later instead of the Moderna vaccine. Norwegian officials also said they recommended men under the age of 30 get the Pfizer vaccine, not Moderna.

And on Oct. 8, Icelandic officials said they were temporarily suspended use of the Moderna vaccine before reversing the position slightly on Oct. 12, saying that it would only be used for booster shots for people 60 and older.

Five of 44 European countries have recently limited the use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. To claim that the continent has completely banned the vaccine among young people is wrong. 

We rate this post False.

 

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by Ciara O'Rourke

No, Europe hasn’t completely banned Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine among young people

Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!

In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.

Sign me up