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On Thursday, the Swedish Health Agency reported that it has taken the decision not to recommend vaccinating children under 12-years-old against COVID-19, given that the benefits of the vaccine do not outweigh the risks in that age range.
As reported by Reuters, Health Agency official Britta Bjorkholm said in a press conference that “with the knowledge we have today, with a low risk of serious disease in children, we do not see any clear benefit from vaccinating them” against COVID-19.
Bjorkholm added that the decision could change in case of a new variant or if new studies suggested so, and clarified that children in high-risk groups can still be vaccinated.
Omicron is not problematic for Sweden
Although Omicron has sent infections soaring to record numbers, with more than 40,000 cases counted on Wednesday, the number of severe cases does not exceed 101 patients admitted to intensive care, so the latest wave does not represent a problem for the Swedish healthcare system.
According to the official website of the Swedish Health Agency, authorities are “closely monitoring” the development of new knowledge on vaccination, especially in children and adolescents, and continues to suggest children over 12 years of age to take a dose to “protect against serious illness”.
Their website also clarifies that vaccination in both children and adults is voluntary and free of charge.
