COVID-19 vaccination in Sweden

COVID-19 vaccination in Sweden started on 27 December, 2020 after the approval of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine by the European Union commission.[1][2][3] In Sweden, the Public Health Agency is commissioned by the government to create a vaccination plan.[4] The Riksbank of Sweden predicts that efficient vaccination against COVID-19 has macroeconomic benefits.[5]

Map of Sweden showing total cumulative vaccination numbers per county as of 20th of Jan 2021.

Plan

Sweden is a part of the European Union cooperation for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines.[6] According to this agreement, Sweden will have access to 6 million vaccine doses.[6] According to the Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, Sweden expects to get sufficient number of COVID-19 vaccines to immunise around one-fifth of the population by April 2021.[7] All adults in Sweden are expected to get the vaccine before summer of 2021.[8]

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.[9] 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 January 2020, the Public Health Agency does not recommend COVID-19 vaccination to children under 18 unless the child belongs to a risk group for being infected with COVID-19.[4]

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.[10]

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.[7] 46% of the poll participants said that they want the vaccine.[7] The chief epidemiologist of Sweden, Anders Tegnell, expects that more people will accept vaccination with time.[7]

References
  1. Regeringskansliet, Regeringen och (22 December 2020). "Vaccinering mot covid-19 inleds den 27 december". Regeringskansliet (in Swedish). Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  2. "Vaccin mot covid-19 — Folkhälsomyndigheten". www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  3. "EU Medical Regulator approves Pfizer vaccine for use". www.thelocal.se. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  4. "Vaccine, medicine and treatment". www.krisinformation.se (in Swedish).
  5. Lindskog, Magnus. "Efficient vaccination against COVID-19 entails major macroeconomic benefits" (PDF). Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  6. Regeringskansliet, Regeringen och (20 August 2020). "Sverige ingår EU-gemensamt avtal om covid-19-vaccin". Regeringskansliet (in Swedish). Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  7. "Swedish Vaccine Skepticism Is Latest Obstacle to Herd Immunity". Bloomberg.com. 4 December 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  8. Radio, Sveriges. "First batch of Covid-19 vaccine now to arrive in Sweden "by Christmas" - Radio Sweden". sverigesradio.se. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  9. Staff, Reuters (4 December 2020). "Nursing homes to get first COVID vaccinations in Sweden". Reuters. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  10. "Så godkänns vaccin | Läkemedelsverket / Swedish Medical Products Agency". www.lakemedelsverket.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 6 January 2021.
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