As of Monday, September 2, vaccines against the infectious rotavirus are included in the general child vaccination program. All newborn children in Sweden will thus be offered the vaccine.

Very contagious stomach disease

Rotavirus causes a highly contagious stomach disease, which can cause long-lasting infections that sometimes require hospital care. The Kronoberg region estimates that half of the children being cared for in hospitals with gastric disease have rotavirus.

"Rotavirus can, if it is bad, cause fluid deficiency and require treatment with drip and several days of hospital care," says Anna Bärtås, pediatric health care consultant in the Kronoberg Region in a press release.

In the past, there has been a big difference between Sweden's regions. Some counties, such as Jönköping, have been vaccinating children for several years. In Kalmar and Kronoberg, almost no children have been vaccinated before.

Drops the vaccine in the mouth

The vaccine is given as an oral solution, the first dose given at six weeks of age and the second at three months.

According to the Public Health Authority, society's costs can be reduced by SEK 120 million per year when the vaccine is offered to all children in Sweden.