“Lessons from the corona pandemic” – 27/5 2024

Conference at CEPOS

Links to presentations:

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/live/vzScldgCV9g
Frederik Waage – Should compensation for epidemics be changed?
Jørgen Grønnegaard Christensen – Managing pandemics and crises: The Covid-19 experience
Michael Bang Pedersen – What have we learned about crisis behavior during the corona pandemic?

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/live/NLGyNZFNTr8
Michael Bergman – Economic policy during Covid-19
Kjeld Møller Pedersen – The long-term consequences of the shutdown

Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/live/8_ISHWtlkrQ
Lars Johnung – Did the shutdown work and was it worth the cost?
Stinus Lindgren – Political lessons from the pandemic in relation to handling future pandemics and crises

Questions from the association:

Questions from the association's chairman to Michael Bang:
“I was also at Christiansborg on May 3rd last year, where you also spoke out about this, about not informing about side effects and such, in order to increase vaccine confidence. Now that we are standing here today, and there is no one who wants to evaluate us and what should happen to us, do you still think that it was the right decision not to inform the population about the side effects? And do you think that has benefited or harmed vaccine adherence today? And what do you think should happen to us? Is this something that should be done about?”
Answer: “You could say, first of all, I don't think I ever said that it was a good idea not to inform about the side effects. But I think it's true that the very central part of the government oversold the vaccines, and that they didn't focus on, in particular, the fact that they didn't stop the infection. Because that's what it was... or it meant, among other things, that we had to close down there again in November 2021. How exactly to handle the challenges that you face and for which I have very, very great sympathy, is a bit outside my field. But it's clear that it's very, very important to be completely transparent, also about the potential side effects, I very much agree with that."

Questions from the association's chairman to Kjeld Møller Pedersen:
"I notice that you look up some data about late-onset patients. But is there nothing at all for those who have been harmed by the vaccines? Is there no inventory of them and what is wrong with them? I know that there are some reports at the Danish Medicines Agency. But is it being followed?"
Answer: “Yes. I was looking for it, and I just couldn't find anything. And when I say just, I mean I didn't spend a lot of time, but I actually spent a lot of time, just to include those things. And some of what I came across... well, again, for me, it has to have a certain quality before I want to pass it on, and I don't feel convinced about that. But I found something.”

Excerpt from presentation:

Excerpt from Stinus Lindgren's presentation:
“Something that is also quite important when you do a large rollout of vaccines, we know this from vaccination programs in general, when you roll something out to the population, you of course also have a responsibility to follow up on good things and bad things, and that of course also applies to those who are affected by side effects. And all vaccines that work also have side effects, all medicines that work have side effects, we know that. The question is always: How frequent are they? How serious are they? This also applies to Panodilen, which has side effects. Chemo has side effects. It's just that they are on different scales and that's why we use them for different things. This of course also applies to vaccines. And that is why it is of course important that we follow up on those who come to us and say: 'We have these symptoms after the vaccine - what do we do?'. And of course we are not doctors, so we cannot assess whether it is related to the vaccine or not. But we must say that this must be handled. That is our responsibility. So I would say, regardless of the reason why people are sick, if people are sick, then it is our responsibility to try to help them. That is why we have a health service. So that is clear.”

Source CEPOS.dk