The Stockholm region currently has the lowest vaccine rate in the country and the care development region councilor Désirée Pethrus (KD) believes that it can be difficult to vaccinate everyone over the age of 18 by midsummer.
- Our goal is to be ready with the vaccination by midsummer, but as it looks now, we are leaning more towards mid-July, she says in SVT's live broadcast.
"Where's the vaccine?"
According to her, the region has the capacity to meet the goal, as long as you get enough deliveries.
She appeals to the government and the Public Health Agency to do everything possible to obtain more doses.
Region Skåne has a similar situation.
Per Hagstam, assistant infection control doctor and vaccine coordinator in Region Skåne, makes the assessment that the vaccine target will not be met given the delivery forecasts now.
Last week, regional director Alf Jönsson also expressed sharp criticism.
- We have capacity and staff, but where is the vaccine?
he wondered then.
Sweden's vaccine coordinator Richard Bergström says that he understands the unrest in the regions, but emphasizes that the supply of vaccines will increase gradually during the spring.
Bergström: Still realistic
- Moderna and Pfizer will triple their production with EU money that we have been involved in and paid for.
These facilities are now approved by the European Medicines Agency and will start production at the end of February or the beginning of March.
Then there are new vaccines that are not approved yet, but which have shown good results, he says in SVT's broadcast.
According to Bergström, it is still realistic to offer all adult Swedes vaccines before the end of the first half of the year.
However, he emphasizes that a large part of the vaccine doses can be very compact.
- During the second quarter, we will receive 12 million doses to Sweden, and it may be that six million will come at the beginning of June.
Everything seems to come in two to three months and it is a practical challenge, he says.