Short-term safety of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines with respect to all-cause mortality in the older population in Norway

•Frail older individuals are not included in clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccination.•Previous studies have shown few local and systemic reactions among vaccinated older people; however, even mild adverse events following immunization could destabilize frail individuals.•There was no evidence of increased short-term mortality among vaccinated older individuals.•Short-term mortality was lower in the vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group, which could reflect a healthy-vaccinee effect.•Real-world studies give the possibility to monitor adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccination.