Corona vaccine in Sweden: can start at the beginning of the year

The Minister of Social Affairs, Lena Hallengren (S), announced during a press conference with the vaccine coordinator Rickard Bergström and the head of the Swedish Public Health Agency, Johan Carlson, that Sweden has signed another agreement with a vaccine manufacturer : Curevac.

The agreement covers 4.5 million doses, giving vaccines to 2.25 million people. For example, it would be enough for everyone over 65, Hallengren said.

Agreement with four vaccine manufacturers

This means that Sweden has signed agreements with four vaccine manufacturers, which covers more than the total population.

– We know that it costs a little more and that we will probably get more than we need, but the alternative would be to risk running out of it, and the government does not want to take that risk, says Social Affairs Minister Lena Hallengren.

At the same time, Rickard Bergström announced that Sweden could start vaccinating at the beginning of the year.

– We expect approval from Moderna and Pfizer from January, including Astra Zeneca. Which means we can start vaccines as early as the end of the year, he says during the same press conference.

“We will have to make priorities”

The first in the queue for vaccines are the elderly over 70, other people at risk and health and care personnel. Only then does the public come into play.

“Vaccines will be an important tool for us to get out of this pandemic,” says Carlson.

Several who are negative to vaccines

However, surveys show that a quarter of Swedes are negative about vaccination. Therefore, a lot of transparency will be needed about the approval process and about, for example, side effects, according to Lena Hallengren and Johan Carlson.

– I hope we see the same degree of vaccination that we see in other contexts, that is, very high, says Lena Hallengren.