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ASTRAZENECA

Two Swedish towns hit by AstraZeneca cuts

Anglo-Swedish pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca said Thursday it would slash 1,400 jobs by 2013, affecting operations in Umeå in northern Sweden, as well as Södertalje south of Stockholm.

Published: 21 November 2008 11:04 CET

“AstraZeneca will exit three sites, in Porrino in Spain, Destelbergen in Belgium and Umeå in Sweden,” the company said in an official statement outlining the restructuring.

Jobs will also be affected at facilities in Macclesfield, northwestern England, and Södertalje in southeastern Sweden.

“These moves will result in a net reduction across the business of 1400 positions by 2013, subject to local consultation,” the firm said.

At the same time, the group will invest more cash in its Wuxi plant in China to support continuing growth in the Asia Pacific region.

AstraZeneca executive vice president David Smith said in the statement:

“These moves are a continuation of AstraZeneca’s programme to improve the organisation’s productivity and efficiency.

“I realise these changes are difficult for our affected employees, with whom we will be consulting in the coming months. We believe these changes are necessary for the long-term strength of the business,” Smith added.

VACCINE

Danish engineers first to be jabbed under voluntary vaccine scheme

Twenty employees of the Danish engineering firm Lowenco, together with their boss Mikael Hoier, on Sunday became the first people to be given the Johnson & Johnson vaccine under Denmark’s new optional vaccination scheme.

Published: 24 May 2021 19:03 CEST
Danish engineers first to be jabbed under voluntary vaccine scheme
Practio co-founder Jonas Nilsen said that the employees had all been given detailed adviuce before they were given the jab. Photo: Practio

The group wanted to get vaccinated so that they can travel to India to install 20 freezers at a vaccine factory.

“It went pretty well, pretty calm and then a little prick,” Hoier, director of Lowenco, told state broadcaster DR.

After undergoing a medical consultation on Saturday, the group were given the green light to get vaccinated on Sunday.

“They all had many questions about potential side effects and the pros and cons of receiving the vaccine,” said Jonas Nilsen, a doctor and co-founder of Practio, which has been given the task of vaccinating Danes under the new optional scheme.

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After thinking over the decision overnight, two of the company’s employees opted against receiving the vaccine. 

“That is absolutely OK by me. It’s a personal decision and it won’t go against them,” Hoier said. 

Practio doctors advised the company to delay their departure to India to the end of this week, so the vaccine has more time to take effect, and they do not suffer complications during their trip.

“There is a chance that someone will be affected by side effects such as headaches, fever and soreness shortly after being injected,” he said.

Sunday’s vaccinations were carried out at Sønderbro Apotek in Copenhagen, and from Monday, vaccinations will be given at Practio’s own vaccine site in Copenhagen, where up to 5,000 people can be vaccinated a day.

The company plans to soon open vaccination centres in Roskilde, Odense, Aarhus and Aalborg. 

On Sunday, Nilsen told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that more than 20,000 people in Denmark had already put themselves down on the list for an optional vaccination, and said that his company is capable of treating about 70,000 vaccination patients a day. 

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