Germany and the United Kingdom can start vaccinating against covid-19 as early as December.
If that happens, Sweden should be able to get started at the same time, according to vaccination coordinator Richard Bergström.
– The first vaccine to come goes to all countries in the EU.
By mid-December, Germany expects to have set up hundreds of vaccination clinics to be able to start vaccinating against covid-19.
The clinics must be located in all 16 federal states. According to Welt am Sonntag , it may be relevant to use large exhibition halls, as well as mobile devices.
In the UK, too, there is information that vaccination may begin in December.
Sweden’s vaccine coordinator Richard Bergström has been reached by the reporting and interprets it as meaning that the countries want to be ready when things get tough .
– The President of the European Commission has said that we can expect approval before Christmas. I’m not sure it’s completely realistic but it’s not an impossibility either, he says.
The EU is coordinated
The first vaccine comes, provided it is approved, in very small volumes. Bergström has previously said that Sweden will not receive the vaccine until January.
Do you see any risk that Sweden will fall behind?
– No. The UK has its own process and it is possible that they get earlier. But within the EU, we have coordination.
So if Germany gets earlier, will Sweden also get it?
– Yes, that’s the planning. But then it is in very small volumes. The important thing is that the organization in the country, which will vaccinate several million people, is ready from the beginning of January. Should it be the case that there will be a vaccine sooner, we will have a solution for that. I’m not so worried about that.
Vaccinate all priorities this spring
Sweden is entitled to 2 percent of the vaccine that the EU has purchased in the first agreement. This means 4 million doses that are enough to vaccinate 2 million Swedes.
From April, two more vaccines will come, according to the plan.
– As it looks now, we will be able to vaccinate all priority groups this spring, says Richard Bergström.
Do you see any risk of a fight over the vaccine? Which region should get it first and how to deal with the distribution?
– I do not coordinate within Sweden, my job is to get a vaccine in the country. But within the EU, it is obvious that everyone gets at the same time and according to the population. There is no hint that someone should have before others. It is very different compared to the protective equipment this spring. There are fewer suppliers, there are large companies, strong regulatory control. I believe that EU cooperation will work very well.
Forced to prioritize
The Swedish Public Health Agency is working together with the regions to plan for how the vaccine will be distributed in Sweden. Director General Johan Carlsson recently said that Sweden is facing major challenges in that work.
– We will be forced to prioritize, depending on access to vaccines and what we will know about the effectiveness of different groups. The priority groups are permanent, the elderly and others who are at risk due to the underlying disease. Then staff in health care and care, only then will vaccination of other citizens become relevant.
Source: aftonbladet.se
