COVID-19 vaccination in Sweden explained
Vaccination against COVID-19 in Sweden started on 27 December 2020 after the approval of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine by the European Commission.[1] [2] [3] In Sweden, the Public Health Agency has been commissioned by the government to create a vaccination plan.[4] Sveriges riksbank, the central bank of Sweden, predicts that efficient vaccination against COVID-19 has macroeconomic benefits.[5], 87.1% of people (12 years and older) in Sweden have received at least one dose, with a total of 21,491,717 doses administered.:[6] At least one vaccine has been approved for all age groups 12 and older. Children younger than 12 in high risk groups can also be vaccinated.[7]
Plan
Sweden is a part of the European Union cooperation for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines.[8] According to this agreement, Sweden will have access to 6 million vaccine doses.[8] According to the Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, Sweden expected to get sufficient number of COVID-19 vaccines to immunise around one-fifth of the population by April 2021. The initial goal was for all adults in Sweden to have been offered at least one vaccine dose before 1 July 2021;[9] this goal was later moved to 15 August 2021,[10] and then moved again to 5 September 2021.[11] The goal was postposed yet again to 19 September due to a lower amount of expected vaccine deliveries.[12] In August 2021, the Public Health Agency of Sweden made the assessment that a majority of the population would be offered a third vaccine dose by 2022, due to the emergence of new variants of SARS-CoV-2.[13]
Order of priority
The principle followed in deciding the order of priority is that those with the greatest need for protection receive the vaccine first.[4] Elderly individuals living in care homes, healthcare workers working with risk groups and adults living with someone in the risk group will be offered vaccination during the first phase.[14] Other individuals aged 70 or older, adults who live with functional impairments as well as medical care professionals will be vaccinated in the second phase. In the third phase, other adults in the risk group will be vaccinated. Everyone else will be offered a vaccine in the fourth phase of vaccine distribution.[4] As of February 2021, the Public Health Agency had not recommended COVID-19 vaccination to children under 18 unless the child belonged to a high-risk group.[4] The recommendation was changed by the Public Health Agency in June 2021 to offer everyone 16 years and older COVID-19 vaccination,[15] and in October 2021, approved the Pfizer, but not Moderna, vaccine for those 12 and older.[16] In January 2022, Sweden decided against recommending COVID vaccines for ages 5–11, arguing that the benefits did not outweigh the risks. Children in high risk groups can, however, be vaccinated.[7]
Safety
Even when approved, the vaccine is continuously monitored for new side effects.[4] The scientific documentation of the approved vaccine is presented as a publicly accessible European Public Assessment Report.[17]
Vaccines on order
Challenges
Vaccine hesitancy is one of the major challenges to the COVID-19 vaccination program in Sweden, with 26% of Swedes saying that they do not want to be vaccinated in a poll.[29] 46% of the poll participants said that they want the vaccine.[29] The chief epidemiologist of Sweden, Anders Tegnell, expects that more people will accept vaccination with time.[29] Another poll conducted in April–May 2021, however, shows that around nine of ten Swedes are willing to get vaccinated, with foreign-born Swedes being less inclined.[30]
Roll-out
In late January 2021, around 1,000 people, all healthcare workers, were given doses of the Moderna vaccine that had been stored at the incorrect temperature.[31]
In mid-April 2021, it was announced that Sweden was working with several other EU countries to hold negotiations with Russia over purchasing the Sputnik vaccine once the EMA had approved it.[32]
On 5 May 2021, the Stockholm region began its phase 4, opening up vaccination slots to people aged 55 to 59.[33] On 14 June 2021, over half of Swedish adults had received at least one vaccine dose, with 27% fully vaccinated.[34]
Statistics
The following chart shows the total reported number of vaccine doses administered, based on data from the Public Health Agency of Sweden's national vaccination registry (updated daily from Tuesday to Friday). Following the vaccination of people under 18 years of age, the statistics for people born between 2003 and 2005 were reported separately starting 19 August 2021.[35]
By 7 April 2021, 93% of nursing home residents had at least one shot and 88% had two shots.[36] [37] For people who are 65 and older who have home care with personal care, 80% had at least one shot.[37]
Vaccine sharing
In early May 2021, it was announced that Sweden has donated 1 million doses of the Oxford vaccine to the global COVAX programme aimed at providing vaccines to the developing world.[38]
External links
Notes and References
- News: Regeringen och Regeringskansliet . Vaccinering mot covid-19 inleds den 27 december . 6 January 2021 . Regeringskansliet . 22 December 2020 . sv . 8 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210108163449/https://www.regeringen.se/artiklar/2020/12/vaccinering-mot-covid-19-inleds-den-27-december/#:~:text=I%20och%20med%20att%20EU,kan%20vaccineringen%20inledas%20p%C3%A5%20%C3%A4ldreboenden. . live .
- Web site: Vaccin mot covid-19 — Folkhälsomyndigheten . www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se . 6 January 2021 . sv . 5 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210105165713/https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/smittskydd-beredskap/vaccinationer/vacciner-a-o/covid-19/ . live .
- News: EU Medical Regulator approves Pfizer vaccine for use . 6 January 2021 . www.thelocal.se . 8 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210108164926/https://www.thelocal.se/20201221/eu-medical-regulator-approves-pfizer-vaccine-for-use . live .
- Web site: Vaccine, medicine and treatment . www.krisinformation.se . sv . 6 January 2021 . 8 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210108235017/https://www.krisinformation.se/en/hazards-and-risks/disasters-and-incidents/2020/official-information-on-the-new-coronavirus/vaccine-medicine-and-treatment . dead .
- Web site: Lindskog . Magnus . Efficient vaccination against COVID-19 entails major macroeconomic benefits . 6 January 2021 . 7 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210107094716/https://www.riksbank.se/globalassets/media/rapporter/ekonomiska-kommentarer/engelska/2020/efficient-vaccination-against-covid-19-entails-major-macroeconomic-benefits.pdf . live .
- Web site: Statistik för vaccination mot covid-19. sv. Statistics on vaccination against COVID-19. Public Health Agency of Sweden. 17 December 2021. 17 December 2021. 18 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210818180535/https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/folkhalsorapportering-statistik/statistikdatabaser-och-visualisering/vaccinationsstatistik/statistik-for-vaccination-mot-covid-19/. live.
- Web site: Sweden decides against recommending COVID vaccines for kids aged 5-11 . 2022-01-28 . reuters.com . 7 May 2024 . 5 March 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240305074708/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/sweden-decides-against-recommending-covid-vaccines-kids-aged-5-12-2022-01-27/ . live .
- Web site: Regeringen och Regeringskansliet . Sverige ingår EU-gemensamt avtal om covid-19-vaccin . Regeringskansliet . 6 January 2021 . sv . 20 August 2020 . 8 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210108134635/https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2020/08/sverige-ingar-eu-gemensamt-avtal-om-covid-19-vaccin/ . live .
- News: Sveriges Radio . First batch of Covid-19 vaccine now to arrive in Sweden "by Christmas" - Radio Sweden . 6 January 2021 . sverigesradio.se . en . 7 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210107145502/https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/7626291 . live .
- News: Sweden will not meet vaccine goal. 1 April 2021. Sveriges Radio. 4 April 2021. Sweden. Radio. 1 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210401104343/https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/sweden-will-not-meet-vaccine-goal. live.
- News: Nytt besked: Vaccinmålet flyttas fram till september. 30 April 2021. sv. Sveriges Television. 30 April 2021. 30 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210430092644/https://www.svt.se/nyheter/nytt-besked-vaccinmalet-flyttas-fram-till-september. live.
- Web site: Justerad prognos för vaccinationer mot covid-19. 24 June 2021. 24 June 2021. Government of Sweden. sv. 24 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210624123907/https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2021/06/justerad-prognos-for-vaccinationer-mot-covid-192/. live.
- News: Tredje dos mot covid-19 troligen nästa år. 3 August 2021. Public Health Agency of Sweden. sv. 3 August 2021. 3 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210803120927/https://fohm.se/nyheter-och-press/nyhetsarkiv/2021/augusti/tredje-dos-mot-covid-19-troligen-nasta-ar/. dead.
- News: Nursing homes to get first COVID vaccinations in Sweden . 10 January 2021 . Reuters . 4 December 2020 . en . 20 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201220125201/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vaccine-idUSKBN28E1G3 . live .
- News: FHM: 16–17-åringar ska erbjudas vaccin. Westesson. Kristin. 22 June 2021. 22 June 2021. Svenska Dagbladet. sv. 22 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210622111007/https://www.svd.se/ekstrom-och-carlson-om-vaccin-till-barn. live.
- reuters.com/world/europe/sweden-give-12-15-year-olds-pfizer-vaccine-rejects-moderna-2021-10-04/
- Web site: Så godkänns vaccin Läkemedelsverket / Swedish Medical Products Agency . www.lakemedelsverket.se . 6 January 2021 . sv . 7 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210107215300/https://www.lakemedelsverket.se/sv/behandling-och-forskrivning/vaccin/nyttan-av-vacciner/sa-godkanns-vaccin#hmainbody3 . live .
- Ytterligare cirka 40 miljoner vaccindoser till Sverige under 2022 och 2023. A further approximately 40 million vaccine doses to Sweden in 2022 and 2023. 18 May 2021. sv. Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. 23 July 2021. 22 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210722235255/https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2021/05/ytterligare-cirka-40-miljoner-vaccindoser-till-sverige-under-2022-och-2023/. live.
- Web site: Coronavaccin, vaccin mot coronaviruset (covid-19). 28 October 2020. 20 December 2021. sv. Medical Products Agency. 20 December 2021. 24 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211224170519/https://www.lakemedelsverket.se/sv/coronavirus/coronavaccin. live.
- Vaccinering mot covid-19 inleds den 27 december. Vaccination against COVID-19 begins on December 27. 22 December 2020. sv. Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. 28 March 2021. 12 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210412043334/https://www.regeringen.se/artiklar/2020/12/vaccinering-mot-covid-19-inleds-den-27-december/. live.
- 1,8 miljoner ytterligare doser vaccin till Sverige. 1.8 million additional vaccine doses to Sweden. 7 January 2021. sv. Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. 28 March 2021. 4 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210204162404/https://www.regeringen.se/artiklar/2021/01/18-miljoner-ytterligare-doser-vaccin-till-sverige/. live.
- Vaccinationsläget i Region Dalarna: 14 januari 2021. The vaccination situation in Dalarna Region: 14 January 2021. 14 January 2021. sv. Region Dalarna. 28 March 2021. 24 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210724173421/https://www.regiondalarna.se/press/nyheter-och-pressmeddelanden/-vaccinationslaget-i-region-dalarna-14-januari-2021/. dead.
- Sverige ingår EU-gemensamt avtal om covid-19-vaccin. Sweden joins the collective EU COVID-19 vaccine contract. 20 August 2020. sv. Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. 28 March 2021. 16 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210316002137/https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2020/08/sverige-ingar-eu-gemensamt-avtal-om-covid-19-vaccin/. live.
- Web site: 400.000 doser till Sverige i februari – "Alla suktar efter vaccin". 400,000 more doses to Sweden in February – "Everyone wants the vaccine". 6 February 2021. TT News Agency. 28 March 2021. 6 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210206175127/https://www.di.se/nyheter/400-000-doser-till-sverige-i-februari-alla-suktar-efter-vaccin/. live.
- Sverige deltar i EU-gemensamt vaccinavtal med Janssen Pharmaceutica NV. Sweden joins the collective EU vaccine contract with Janssen Pharmaceutica NV. 15 October 2020. sv. Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. 28 March 2021. 15 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210315235850/https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2020/10/sverige-deltar-i-eu-gemensamt-vaccinavtal-med-janssen-pharmaceutica-nv/. live.
- Regeringen tecknar vaccinavtal med Novavax. The government signs a vaccine contract with Novavax. 11 August 2021. sv. Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. 12 August 2021. 11 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210811204930/https://regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2021/08/regeringen-tecknar-vaccinavtal-med-novavax/. live.
- Sverige ingår EU-gemensamt avtal om covid-19-vaccin med CureVac. Sweden joins the collective EU COVID-19 vaccine contract with CureVac. 24 November 2020. sv. Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. 28 March 2021. 11 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210411213323/https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2020/11/sverige-ingar-eu-gemensamt-avtal-om-covid-19-vaccin-med-curevac/. live.
- Regeringen ingår ytterligare vaccinavtal. The government enters into additional vaccine contracts. 22 July 2021. sv. Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. 22 July 2021. 22 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210722112805/https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2021/07/regeringen-ingar-ytterligare-vaccinavtal/. live.
- News: Swedish Vaccine Skepticism Is Latest Obstacle to Herd Immunity . 6 January 2021 . Bloomberg.com . 4 December 2020 . en . 9 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210109042357/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-04/sweden-unveils-vaccine-strategy-after-26-reject-immunization . live .
- News: Fortsatt stor vilja att vaccinera sig mot covid-19. 27 May 2021. sv. Swedish Public Health Agency. 7 June 2021. 7 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210607184754/https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/nyheter-och-press/nyhetsarkiv/2021/maj/fortsatt-stor-vilja-att-vaccinera-sig-mot-covid-19/. live.
- Web site: Sweden gives 1,000 people COVID-19 shots kept at too low temperature. 22 January 2021. Reuters. 6 May 2021. 7 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210507122649/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vaccine-sweden-idUSKBN29R1QL. live.
- News: Vaccinsamordnaren: Sverige kan få Sputnik V redan till sommaren. 16 April 2021. SVT Nyheter. Thomsen. Dante. 6 May 2021. 6 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210506205836/https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/experten-om-det-ryska-vaccinet-risk-att-sputnik-har-samma-biverkningar-som-astra-zeneca-och-janssen. live.
- News: Stockholm opens for phase 4 vaccinations. 5 May 2021. Sveriges Radio. Sweden. Radio. 6 May 2021. 6 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210506091413/https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/stockholm-opens-for-phase-4-vaccinations. live.
- News: Över hälften av Sveriges vuxna befolkning har fått vaccin mot covid-19. 14 June 2021. sv. Public Health Agency of Sweden. 14 June 2021. 14 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210614125632/https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/nyheter-och-press/nyhetsarkiv/2021/juni/over-halften-av-sveriges-vuxna-befolkning-har-fatt-vaccin-mot-covid-19/. live.
- Web site: Statistik för vaccination mot covid-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20210818180535/https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/folkhalsorapportering-statistik/statistikdatabaser-och-visualisering/vaccinationsstatistik/statistik-for-vaccination-mot-covid-19/. sv. Statistics on vaccination against COVID-19. Public Health Agency of Sweden. 18 August 2021. 18 August 2021. 22 August 2021.
- Web site: Public Health Agency of Sweden . Public Health Agency of Sweden . Veckorapport om covid-19, vecka 13 . Weekly report on covid-19, week 13 . Folkhälsomyndigheten . 1 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211010163957/https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/globalassets/statistik-uppfoljning/smittsamma-sjukdomar/veckorapporter-covid-19/2021/covid-19-veckorapport-2021-vecka-13-final.pdf . 10 October 2021 . 1 . sv . 9 April 2021 . Fram till och med den 7 april hade 93 procent av personerna som bor på särskilt boende för äldre fått minst en vaccindos och 88 procent hade fått två doser. . Up to and including 7 April, 93 percent of the people living in special housing for the elderly had received at least one vaccine dose and 88 percent had received two doses. . live.
- Web site: Public Health Agency of Sweden. Public Health Agency of Sweden. Vaccinationstäckning i prioriterade grupper. Vaccination coverage in priority groups. Folkhälsomyndigheten. 1 January 2022. sv. 29 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211229185117/https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/folkhalsorapportering-statistik/statistikdatabaser-och-visualisering/vaccinationsstatistik/statistik-for-vaccination-mot-covid-19/uppfoljning-av-vaccination/vaccinationstackning-i-prioriterade-grupper/. live.
- Web site: COVAX gets a boost from Moderna deal, Sweden's donation of Covid vaccines. 3 May 2021. CNBC. 6 May 2021. 6 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210506091413/https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/03/covax-gets-a-boost-from-moderna-deal-swedens-donation-of-covid-vaccines.html. live.