Sweden to stop offering Covid jabs to teenagers

Sweden's Public Health Agency said Friday it was no longer recommending that children aged 12 to 17 get vaccinated against Covid-19, citing the "very low risk" for the group.

The new recommendation will come into force on October 31.

"The decision means that as of November 1, 2022 only children in certain vulnerable groups are recommended to get and thereby offered vaccinations against Covid-19," the agency said.

In September, Britain lifted its vaccine recommendation for healthy children under the age of 11.

"Overall we see that the need for care as a result of Covid-19 has been low among children and young people... and has in addition subsided since the Omicron variant started spreading," Soren Andersson, head of the Public Health Agency's vaccination department, said in the statement.

For those over 18, the Swedish recommendation is three doses, with a fourth recommended for those over 65.

The country made global headlines when it refused to implement draconian measures as other countries around the world went into lockdown.

Sweden saw a slight increase in the number of deaths during the summer, but the number is now falling.

After having a high death toll at the beginning of the pandemic, the Nordic country now has fewer deaths per capita than the European average.

© 2022 AFP