Sweden to offer free swine flu vaccine for all

[joeblow]

Sweden to offer free swine flu vaccine for all

http://www.thelocal.se/21594/20090821/

Published: 21 Aug 09 08:03 CET

The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKL) is set to recommend that the swine flu vaccine is issued free of charge for all.

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SKL's healthcare delegation were unanimous in reaching their decision on Thursday. The formal decision will be confirmed by SKL's board on Friday.

"Everything points to the vaccine being free of charge. This is my position and I think that we are together on this one," said Lennart Gabrielsson, a member of SKL's board.

"The advantage of having a free vaccine is that there will not be any groups who can claim that they can't afford it. More people will be vaccinated, which is important for society," he said.

People with chronic illnesses and pregnant women as well as hospitals and heathcare staff will be given the vaccine first.

These are the recommendations that have been made by the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) to local health authorities and which were presented at a press conference on Thursday.

The majority of those in the risk groups are expected to have been vaccinated within one-two weeks of the vaccine being delivered in the end of September. They will then receive a second dose three weeks later.

After the high risk groups have received their first dose then the remainder of the population can be vaccinated according to the recommendations.

The health and welfare board expects the vaccine to be approved at around the same time as it is delivered to Sweden. But even if the vaccine is not approved at the EU level there remains the possibility to approve it a national level, Anders Tegnell at the board told the press conference.

When the vaccine is delivered there will be tests provided which will make it possible for children aged three-years-old and above to be administered the vaccine.

But according to the manufacturer smaller children, from six months old, will soon thereafter also be able to be given the vaccine.

TT/The Local (mailto:news@thelocal.se">news@thelocal.se/08 656 6518)

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

[§N9sh2bj]

oh goody. let's all move to sweden. fk

[joeblow]

Your comments about this article:

#1
08:53 August 21, 2009 by Reptile
Now that there is an opportunity for everyone to receive a free vaccine, does that mean it's mandatory?

#2
09:09 August 21, 2009 by Nemesis
I hope it is mandatory.

I for one will be grateful to the Swedish state for the free vaccination.

It should be interesting to see how many people turn up for the vaccinations.

#3
10:07 August 21, 2009 by svenskdod
Erm, why has this just started now?

#4
10:11 August 21, 2009 by Miss Kitten
What has just started now...the free swine flu vaccine? What do you mean?

#5
10:11 August 21, 2009 by Puffin
Don't quite get what you mean?

The vaccine isn't yet available/licenced

#6
10:15 August 21, 2009 by MTTRN
Isn`t this great. While others will have to pay to get all the health problems arising from vaccination we can have all that for free!

#7
10:19 August 21, 2009 by Miss Kitten
If you'd rather get the disease then that's your prerogative. Or is it? The article doesn't make it clear whether the vaccine will be compulsory for everyone.

#8
10:27 August 21, 2009 by Puffin
I have never heard of a vaccination scheme in Sweden being compulsory

#9
10:32 August 21, 2009 by MTTRN
My prerogative is this on`t get the disease+Don`t vaccinate

Even though the article is not clear on whether vaccination will be compulsary or not ,one can imagine the swarms of people lined up for free vaccination just because they have not researched the real threat of swine flu,the real threat of vaccinations in general, or simply think they can`t miss out on such an amazing deal as a "free vaccination".

#10
10:40 August 21, 2009 by Miss Kitten
I'm having a hard time understanding what you think is so bad about controlling the spread of a disease, and doing it for free.

#11
10:51 August 21, 2009 by johnnytango
Get in line...sheeple.

#12
10:53 August 21, 2009 by 2fingers
Do you really want to take a vaccine that has hardly been tested, dosage amounts are not even known and has the potential to give you Guillain-Barré syndrome, a crippling nerve disorder? All for the supposed protection against a flu strain that so far has proven no more dangerous that any other seasonal flu? It's like 1976 all over again! Just last week a very disturbing report was released showing that 25 people have died after taking the vaccine - that's more than the number that have died from the flu!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... erica.html

No thanks, I think I will wash my hands frequently and look after my health in a more practical manner....

#13
11:57 August 21, 2009 by Draug
The WHO called mass vaccinations a gamble at this point since side effects aren't fully known. Let's hope it wont be anything too serious.

#14
12:41 August 21, 2009 by bocale1
the dailymail article is quite impressive... good that you posted it, 2fingers! We do not hear that often opinions and news that go against pharmaceutical corporations interests!

#15
14:00 August 21, 2009 by bettan1
Science is power and wealth driven. It's a part of Big Business and always in bed with government. This is an untested fix it pill like the countless other drugs Joe/Jane Q-Public demand for the consequences of their actions. I would never recommend anyone take this bogus flu shot.

Some small group somewhere is going to make millions off this. No doubt many of them will be politicians.

#16
14:42 August 21, 2009 by 2fingers
I agree with Bettan1... I could understand if this flu had a mortality rate of like 50% or something suggesting it is as deadly as SARS a few years ago. Why did the WHO drop the criteria used for years to define a pandemic? Why are we being bombarded by the media that this flu is so deadly when statistics show it is no more deadly than the common flu?? Here's a interesting article by a leading scientists on the subject:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 19,00.html

I can't imagine subjecting my kids to the introduction of a vaccine that could really hurt them. A vaccine that is being rushed to market based on hype and is not even being subject to normal testing protocols as any other drug would be! The EU has fasttracked this vaccine which means relaxed all testing protocols AND forced any government who buys it to sign an indemnity agreement which means the drug companies have no responsibility for any side effects.....!

#17
14:42 August 21, 2009 by svenskdod
OK, people are stupid....?

I meant that the vaccination should have been offered for free too all groups. In times past it has only been offered to the more at risk groups, the elderly or the very young. It should be available to all, plain and simple.

#18
14:58 August 21, 2009 by Gosser
Those that would make getting the flu shot manditory (eg:- WHO & Politicians) should have themselves and their children vaccinated first, before forcing the citizens of any country to take the shot.