Individuals belonging to risk groups will likely soon be offered a third dose of vaccine against COVID-19, the Swedish Public Health Agency said on Tuesday.
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"The assessment is that it is not possible to eradicate the virus and therefore vaccination work should be long-term and focused on reducing serious illness and death," State Epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said in a press release.
The booster dose may be offered in the autumn to older residents in nursing homes, those aged 80 years and over, and individuals with severely weakened immune systems, the authority said in the press release.
According to their assessment, a booster dose is also likely to be offered to a larger proportion of the population by 2022.
"However, the extent is currently unclear and depends, among other things, on possible new virus variants and on what various research studies will show about the protective effect of vaccines over time," the press release said.
The booster dose will likely be a protein-based vaccine, and according to the press release "the availability of vaccines is currently assessed as good for several years to come."
"It is still important that we have a special focus on vaccination of groups and residents in geographical areas with low vaccination coverage," Tegnell said. Suburbs with a predominantly immigrant population have previously been identified as such low-coverage areas.
The authority is also working to reach 16-and 17-year-olds and adults who have so far chosen not to be vaccinated.
According to the Public Health Agency, 78 percent of the adult population had received at least one dose of vaccine in Sweden, while 51 percent had been fully vaccinated. ■
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