Several other countries have already started.
Soon, children from the age of 12 in Sweden will also be offered a vaccine against covid-19, the government announced last week.
- The vaccine will protect children at these ages, but it will also help us keep schools open, said Minister of Education Anna Ekström (S) about the decision.
Initially, vaccinations should have started in November, but the regions flagged that they were ready earlier than that.
Therefore, the Swedish Public Health Agency (FHM) changed its recommendation to 11 October, ie before the autumn holidays.
The Stockholm region starts earlier
SVT's Lilla Aktuellt has asked the country's 21 regions about when 12-15-year-olds should be offered vaccination.
As many as 18 regions responded on 11 October.
In Uppsala and Norrbotten there is no date yet and Stockholm starts already on October 4.
Emma Spak, section manager at the department for health and care at SKR, thinks it is good that FHM has listened to the regions' wishes.
On the one hand, many were already prepared, and on the other hand, reasonably long foresight is best, according to the regions.
- If it takes almost two months, the wait will be a bit long.
Many parents want their children vaccinated and are worried that the children will get sick in the meantime, says Emma Spak.
"Effective way to reach everyone"
FHM wants the school to be involved in the vaccination.
- We recommend that the health service cooperates with the schools so that all children are offered vaccines on equal terms, says Anders Tegnell, state epidemiologist at FHM, in a press release.
SKR agrees.
- We want to get as high and even vaccination coverage as possible.
All children at this age are in school and it is an effective way to reach everyone, no matter where you live, says Emma Spak.
Children may not be vaccinated without parental consent.
The regions are responsible for vaccination, but schools can help reach out to information or gather consent, according to Emma Spak:
- In most parts of the country, there is a very strong commitment to vaccinations.
Many want to be helped.
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Hear the students: "It will be nice to have a normal Christmas and summer again" Photo: Jasmine Gestblom / SVT