In several countries, Olympic athletes should be given priority when it comes to vaccination against covid-19, but in Sweden this is not the case.
It would even be illegal.
- The most important thing for us is that we follow the rules that are the basis for prioritization and systematics in our country.
Overall, it is more important that the priority groups are vaccinated and that as many as possible are vaccinated, that is number one.
So it is not relevant to request an exception, says Reinebo.
"Hang on to the train"
Minister of Labor Eva Nordmark (SocDem) said just over a month ago that it would be good if as many people as possible could be vaccinated at their workplaces, so that vaccination can go faster.
If this type of vaccination becomes possible, SOK will investigate whether they can vaccinate the Olympic team.
- If those opportunities are opened up for more groups, then I definitely think you can see our athletes, the Olympic team, as a working group.
And then we will investigate the possibility of hanging on to that train, absolutely, says Reinebo.
Unrealistic
He does not currently believe that the entire Olympic team will be vaccinated before leaving for Tokyo.
- No, we did not count on it.
We have expected that some will be vaccinated, if you belong to a risk group or if it is about leaders who are a little older, he says.
- Then you do not know how the individuals are affected by the side effects of the vaccine, so that the whole team would be vaccinated with two syringes, I think is unrealistic.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) wants as many people as possible to be vaccinated before the Tokyo trip, but this is not a requirement because they do not want Olympic athletes to go before priority groups.