The majority of the population of Sweden is likely to get a COVID-19 vaccine booster, but the Swedish Public Health Agency said it depends on the emergence of new variants.
Outbreak News Today reported, at present, the extent is not clear, and it depends, among others, on the potential occurrence of new variants and on what different studies will find about the protective impact of the COVID-19 vaccines over time.
The health agency approximated that the wide-ranging vaccination of the whole adult population will reach its completion in the autumn of this year, when instead, mainly individuals aged 16 to 17 years old and adults who have thus far opted not to be inoculated, will be offered vaccination.
In autumn, some risk groups may be offered the so-called "refill dose," as well, mainly older SÄBO residents, people aged above 80 years old, and those who have severely weakened immune systems.
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A health worker vaccinates an elderly man with the BioNTech-Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at a temporary vaccination clinic in a church in Sollentuna, north of Stockholm, in March 2021.
Long-Term Vaccination Needed
Based on the assessment done by the agency, it is not possible to eliminate COVID-19, and thus, vaccination work needs to be long-term and concentrated on the reduction of severe illness and even death.
According to state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell, it is still essential that there is a specific concentration on vaccination of residents and at-risk groups in geographical places that have low vaccination coverage.
In the next couple of years, vaccinations in the fight against COVID-19 will perhaps, be performed with a single or two mRNA vaccines and an adjuvanted protein-based vaccine that can serve as a compliment.
4-Stage Vaccination Work
In Sweden, the overall vaccination work against the virus is carried out in four stages, where the initial stage has been mass vaccination for adults.
The second stage involves reaching groups with low vaccination rates and probably providing refill doses for groups with a high risk of severe disease. The third stage, perhaps, is to provide a greater part of the population with a refill or COVID-19 booster dose.
The fourth stage is about working on a more long-term program for vaccination, to be developed during the autumn, and the vaccines' availability is approximated as good to last for several years ahead.
Other Countries Planning to Offer a COVID-19 Booster Vaccine
In a similar report, the Nation Arab American News Network reported that Sweden is just among the latest countries reported as planning to provide COVID-19 booster.
On Monday, Germany announced it would offer a third jab to the vulnerable next month. Then, last weekend, Israel rolled out its third-shot scheme to older residents.
According to Firstpost, Britain will also offer COVID-19 booster vaccines to more than 30 million Britons starting September 6. The report said the rollout is seen completion by early December if everything goes as planned.
In connection to this, the German government also said, more than 46.8 million people had already received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and over 38.3 million had already been given two doses.
A Reuters report said Cambodia has not started to offer booster shots for the COVID-19 vaccine and shift between AstraZeneca from the UK and Sinovac and Sinophrm from China.
Prime Minister Hun Sen said the third dose would be offered to a priority group comprising between 500,000 to one million frontline workers.
A related report on the COVID-19 vaccine booster vaccine is shown on Reuter's YouTube video below:
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