Posted: November 24, 2021 / 4:59 AM CST
/ Update: November 24, 2021 / 4:59 AM CST

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) – Sweden on Wednesday recommended that anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 receive a booster against COVID-19 six months after receiving the second jab.

Social Affairs Minister Lena Hallengren said about 7 million people in Sweden, which has a population of 10 million, have undergone both injections. But she said she was concerned about the rise in coronavirus infections.

“The government takes the spread of infection around the world seriously,” Hallengren said. “The point (to offer a third shot) is to prepare for a possible deterioration of the situation. “

Karin Tegmark Wisell, head of the Swedish Public Health Agency, said the vaccine was “our most important tool in dealing with the pandemic”.

“Two injections offer good protection against serious illness and death, but the protective effect wanes over time,” she said at a press conference.

Sweden had previously stood out among European countries for its relatively low-key response to the pandemic. Everyone over 65 has already been offered a third injection. Authorities say 26% of this age group have received a booster so far.

The Scandinavian country has not closed its doors or closed businesses during the pandemic, instead relying on citizens’ sense of civic duty to control infections. Authorities have emphasized individual responsibility rather than government health measures.

Last week, Sweden announced it would introduce a digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate for public gatherings and events with more than 100 people inside. The move follows similar actions taken by other countries in the European Union amid a recent continental rise in COVID-19 cases.

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