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Sweden now has a total of four agreements ready for the delivery of Covid-19 vaccines. The last in the line is from the pharmaceutical company Curevac and comprises 4.5 million doses, which is estimated to be enough for half the people.
Together with the other agreements, this means that Sweden has secured vaccines for more than the entire population, provided that the vaccine is approved by the EU Agency for Medicines.
– You should see it as insurance. We know it costs a little more, we know we will probably get more vaccines than we need, but the alternative would be to risk running out of anything. The government is not prepared to take that risk, says Lena Hallengren.
Swedish Vaccine Coordinator Richard Bergström estimates that vaccination may begin in January, but there may be fewer doses before the New Year.
– It may be a few tens of thousands of doses that come. Then we can handle it, says Richard Bergström.
Johan Carlson, CEO of the Swedish Public Health Agency, also warns against overconfidence that the vaccine will end the pandemic.
– This does not mean that we can ease restrictions or other measures that have been taken to prevent the spread of infection, says Johan Carlson.
The authority has already said that people over 70 years of age and care and nursing staff be first in line when the population begins to be vaccinated.
– Only then, and we are entering 2021, will a more comprehensive vaccination of the population begin, says Johan Carlson.
The Swedish Public Health Agency will later develop a clearer priority list of the order in which citizens should be vaccinated.
– First, we need to know more about vaccines. This is a puzzle that needs to be put together for the right vaccine to reach the right group, says Johan Carlson.
– We will be forced to make concessions based on access to vaccines.
