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Coronavirus LATEST: Number hospitalised in Denmark falls on Tuesday

The number of people being treated in Danish hospitals for coronavirus fell over Tuesday to just 164.

Coronavirus LATEST: Number hospitalised in Denmark falls on Tuesday
A doctor performs a mouth swab on a patient to test for for coronavirus in a new tent extension of Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, on April 2, 2020. Photo: Niels Christian Vilmann / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP
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THE DATA: 
 
According to the latest update from Statens Serum Institute, as of May 13:
  • 533 people have died with the coronavirus in Denmark (up 6 from Tuesday)
  • 164 patients are in hospital with the coronavirus (down 13 from Tuesday)
  • 37 patients are in intensive care (down 6 from Tuesday)
  • 32 patients are on ventilators (unchanged from Tuesday)
  • 10,667 people have tested positive for the coronavirus (up 76 from Tuesday)
The news section below is no longer being updated. 
 
THE NEWS: 
 
Sunday April 19
 
According to the latest update from Statens Serum Institute, as of April 19th:
355 people have died with the coronavirus in Denmark (up 9 from Saturday)
319 patients are in hospital with the coronavirus (up 2 from Saturday)
84 patients are in intensive care (down 3 from Saturday)
73 patients are on ventilators (down 3 from Saturday)
7,384 people have tested positive for the coronavirus (up 142 from Saturday)
 
Saturday April 18
 
It's been a big week for Denmark. It became the first country in Europe to start reopening schools and day care institutions after lockdown from the coronavirus. Our contributor Emma Firth looks at the concerns and practicalities of Denmark's first stage of reopening. Read the article here:
 
According to the latest update from Statens Serum Institute, as of April 18th:
346 people have died with the coronavirus in Denmark (up 10 from Friday)
317 patients are in hospital with the coronavirus (down 33 from Friday)
87 patients are in intensive care (down 6 from Friday)
76 patients are on ventilators (up 2 from Friday)
7,242 people have tested positive for the coronavirus (up 169 from Friday)
 
Friday April 17
 
According to the latest update from Statens Serum Institute, as of April 17th:
336 people have died with the coronavirus in Denmark (up 12).
350 patients are in hospital with the coronavirus (down 1%).
93 patients are in intensive care (down 1%)
74 patients are on ventilators (down 3%)
6,879 people have tested positive for the coronavirus (up 198)
 
Wednesday April 15 
 
Denmark began reopening schools on Wednesday after a month-long closure over the novel coronavirus, becoming the first country in Europe to do so. 
The leader of the Danish Social Liberal Party, Morten Østergaard has argued that it should be possible for as many as 27,000 more people in Denmark to return to normal working life, basing his opinion on a briefing note provided by Denmark's infectious diseases agency SSI. Denmark's government is currently in discussions with opposition and supporting parties over what further parts of the economy, should be opened up next. 
A doctor based in Hvidovre on the outskirts of Copenhagen has become the first doctor in Denmark to die of coronavirus. The 63-year-old had been treated in an intensive care ward for three weeks before he died. 
Danes have been buying more pets, particularly dogs, to keep them company during the coronavirus lockdown, spurring the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration to warn on Wednesday against impulse buying. 
 
Tuesday April 14 
 
Denmark's Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, has said that her government will move more rapidly in lifting the country's coronavirus restrictions after the lockdown measures showed a greater than expected impact. 
At least 845 Danish citizens remain stranded overseas, despite government efforts to get them home, the country's foreign ministry said. On April 5, 1,300 Danish citizens were stuck abroad. 
The International Monetary Fund warned that Denmark's economy could shrink by as much as 6.5 percent this year and 6 percent next year as a result of the coronavirus crisis, while unemployment could rise to 6.5 percent this year and  6.0 percent this year. 
Denmark's health minister Magnus Heunicke on Monday announced that the government was overruling the Danish Health Authority to change a key recommendation on when children should be kept at home. If someone a child lives with shows coronavirus symptoms, then the child should not be sent to school or kindergarten, he said'
 
Monday April 13
 
285 people have died with the coronavirus in Denmark, 12 more than Sunday. 388 patients are in hospital with the coronavirus, 8 fewer than on Sunday, when 396 patients were in hospital. Of those, 100 are in intensive care, four fewer than Sunday. The number of patients on ventilators has increased from 85 to 87 since Sunday. 144 new people have tested positive for the coronavirus over the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 6318 confirmed cases, according to the latest update from Statens Serum Institute, although this figure could be higher due to not testing everyone. Statens Serum Institute has previously estimated that the actual number of infected people can be between 30 and 70 times greater than the official figure.
 
 
As of Monday, a total of 72,099 people have been tested for the coronavirus, an increase of 1974 people compared to Sunday. There has previously been confusion over whether the Danish health authority (Sundhedsstyrelsen) had a target for how many people should be tested daily for coronavirus. But on Saturday, the health authority determined that it has no test target, other than those that must be tested according to the guidelines.
 
Thursday April 8 
 
At 8am on Thursday, 433 patients were in hospital with coronavirus in Denmark, 20 fewer than on Wednesday. Of those, 120 were in intensive care, seven fewer than on Wednesday, while 249 new people tested positive for the virus, bringing the total to 5,635 after 62,210 tests, according to the latest update from Statens Serum Institute. There have been 19 deaths from coronavirus since Wednesday, bringing the national total to 237
Denmark's finance minister Nicolai Wammen has said he expects Denmark's GDP to fall by between three and six percent in 2020 as a result of measures taken to control the coronavirus pandemic. “The second quarter of 2020 is set to become one of the blackest chapters in Danish economic history,” he said. 
 
Wednesday April 7. 
 
Denmark's infectious diseases agency SSI has said that the true infection figure could be up to 80 times larger than the roughly 5,000 who have tested positive, meaning as many as 400,000 people. 
 
Tuesday April 6 
 
The Roskilde, Smukfest, Northside, Tinderbox and Heartland festivals were all cancelled on Monday night and Tuesday after Denmark's government decided that big events such as music festivals would not be possible until after the summer. 
The Tivoli amusement park in central Copenhagen has been losing 6m Danish kroner a day, while it is closed due to the coronavirus lockdown, TV2 Lorry has reported. The park wants compensation from the government. 
Denmark's success in flattening the curve of the coronavirus pandemic in the country could cause problems later on, by forcing the country to keep economically and socially debilitating measures in place for longer, several professors at Danish universities told the newspapers on Tuesday.  Read our story here
 
Monday April 6
 
Denmark to reopen schools and kindergartens on April 15
 
Denmark's government has announced plans to reopen kindergartens and schools up until age 10-11, in the first steps of a gradual lifting of the country's coronavirus lockdown. Read our story here
 
Denmark to cancel high school diploma exam
 
Denmark's government has decided to cancel the final exams for class 9, the oldest pupils in Danish schools, replacing them with grades from the year's studying, Denmark's Politiken newsaper has reported. 
 
Denmark's health authorities orders two citizens into compulsory quarantine
 
Denmark's health authorities have ordered two citizens into compulsory quarantine using new legal powers granted under the country's new coronavirus law, the Danish Patient Safety Authority reported on Monday. The police have been involved in enforcing the quarantine. 
 
Denmark's summer rock festivals not yet cancelled 
 
Both the Roskilde Festival, from June 27 to July 4, and Smukfest, from August 5 to August 9 are still officially scheduled to happen, despite the Danish government's insistence that some restrictions will continue long after Easter. 
“Like everyone else, we're waiting for the plan as to how Denmark is going to open up again,” Roskilde spokeswoman Christina Bilde told the Ritzau news wire. The Heartland, Tinderbox and NorthSide festivals are still planning to go ahead. 
 
Ruling Social Democrats leap to 34 percent in new poll
 
Denmark's ruling Social Democrats have gained a further 2.5 percentage points in the latest poll by Voxmeter for Ritzau, putting them a full 8.1 percent above the share of the vote they won in last summer's election. 
 
A survey by Voxmeter published on Friday found that 86.3 percent of respondents believed that “the government has done what needed to be done” to tackle coronavirus, while 80 percent said they had confidence int he government's actions. 
 
 
Friday April 3
 
Danish police may close popular parks over Easter
 
Denmark's police chief Thorkild Fogde has said that police may decide to close popular parks over Easter if they see too many people gathering in them. “If we see time and time again that people stumbling over eachother in the same park, then we may simply have to say, ok, now we're closing the park,” he told the Ritzau news wire. 
 
Denmark's Folkemødet political festival cancelled over coronavirus
 
The organisers of Folkemødet, the hugely popular political festival on the island of Bornholm, have announced the cancellation of the festival due to coronavirus. “Of course, this is sad in many ways, but we will come back strongly at the with Folkemødet in 2021,” Jann Sjursen, chairman of the organisation which runs the festival, said. 
 
Danish freelancers take advantage of coronavirus cash hand-outs
 
Freelancers and the self-employed are flocking to take advantage of the Danish government's financial aid package, with 13,618 applying for cash in the last two days. Under the aid package, freelancers can be paid up to 75 percent of their normal salary up to a limit of 23,000 kroner a month. 
 
Danish Queen's special request: 'Don't send me birthday flowers' 
 
Denmark's Queen Margrethe II has called on Danes not to send her flowers on her 80th birthday, but to instead send them to other elderly Danes facing “particular difficulties” during the coronavirus lockdown. Read our story here
 
Thursday April 2 
 
Denmark's government wins majority for new coronavirus law
 
Denmark's government on Thursday afternoon managed to get its controversial second emergency coronavirus law through Denmark's parliament, despite the misgivings of several parties to the proposals for much tougher punishments for those committing coronavirus-related crimes. 
 
Danish party calls for 'green restart' after coronavirus crisis
 
The Danish government's main supporting party has called for a “green restart” to the country's economy, with investments in heat pumps, charging stations for cars, new rail projects and incentives for replacing oil and gas boilers.
“If the restart of Denmark is to be green, now is the time to decide,” Morten Østergaard from the Social Liberal party told TV2. Read our story here.
 
 
Denmark to start testing people with milder coronavirus symptoms
 
The Danish Health Authority has changed its coronavirus strategy to allow doctors to order tests for those with mild symptoms, if they live with vulnerable people or are for some reason unable or unlikely to self-isolate. Read our story here.

 
 
Wednesday April 1
 
Danish PM justifies acting without evidence 
 
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has again justified her government's willingness to take action to slow the spread of coronavirus even when there is no scientific or medical evidence. “It is always with the health professionals behind us, but we cannot wait for evidence. We would simply risk many lives if we did that in all cases,” she said. 
 
“We have chosen to react rapidly to corona. And also faster than men neighbouring countries have done. Of course, if you are one of the countries which acts first, there is knowledge that you don't have.” 
 
Danish health chief: It is “worrying” that hospital workers are getting infected
 
Some 224 health workers in Zealand and Copenhagen had tested positive for coronavirus, Danish state broadcaster DR has reported. “It is worrying that the health care staff is infected to such an extent,” Søren Brostrøm, Director General of the Danish Health Authority said. 
 
Denmark to start testing those with only mild coronavirus symptoms 
 
The Danish Health Authority has announced plans to start testing people with only mild symptoms of coronavirus in order to better understand the spread of the virus within the community, the Jyllands-Posten newspaper has reported. 
 
Currently, the country is testing those with moderate to severe symptoms, those in risk groups such as the elderly and chronically ill, and health personnel. 
 
The Danish travel agent Robinson files for bankruptcy 
 
The Danish travel agent Robinson Scandinavia has filed for bankruptcy, the Finans newspaper has reported. 
“A cancellation of virtually all trips combined with uncertainty over when different countries will reopen has led the director and the owner to choose to file for bankruptcy,” the company's lawyer Julian Jensen told the newspaper. 
 
 
Tuesday March 31
 
Danish police will now need a court order to raid Easter lunch 
 
Denmark's government has stopped short of empowering police to raid Easter lunch celebrations if they suspect more than the 10 people permitted are present, Danish state broadcaster DR has reported. They will now need a court order, Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said in a written reply to other political parties, although he said police would be allowed to obtain a court order retrospectively “if the purpose of the investigation would be forfeited if they had to wait for a court order.” Read our story here
 
Michelin-starred Kadeau restaurants on Bornholm and in Copenhagen bankrupt
 
The restaurant group which owns the Kadeau restaurants on Bornholm and Copenhagen has declared bankruptcy as a result of the coronavirus lockdown, according to Denmark's Finans newspaper. Read our story here
 
“We have had to throw the towel in the ring and file for bankruptcy. This crisis has hit us at the worst possible time,” said Magnus Klein Kofoed, the group's chief executive. 
 
 
Monday March 30
 
Denmark to begin reopening after Easter: PM
 
Danish PM Mette Frederiksen has said the country will begin to open up again after Easter, in the first sign of an end to the current strict lockdown. 
 
“If we Danes for the next two weeks – over Easter – continue to stand together at a distance, and if the numbers remain stable and reasonable, then the government will begin a gradual, quiet and controlled opening of our society again on it other side of Easter,” she said in a press conference on Monday afternoon. 
 
Danish government to pay up to 30,000 kroner of salaries
 
Denmark's government has increased the top threshold for the monthly salaries it is willing to take over paying during the lockdown from 26,000 kroner to 30,000 kroner in a deal struck with unions and employers, according to Danish broadcaster DR.  
 
The government had earlier agreed to cover up to 90 percent of the salaries of employees companies send home but do not dismiss, but the salaries were capped at 26,000 kroner. 
 
Denmark starts trialling coronavirus antibody tests on health staff
 
Some 200 staff at Nordsjællands Hospital in Hillerød will be tested for coronavirus antibodies to check whether they have already been infected and recovered, according to Danish state broadcaster DR
 
Danish coronavirus deaths rise to 77 
 
Denmark's health agency SSI reported five new deaths due to coronavirus on Sunday and Monday morning, taking the national total to 77. 
 
 
Friday March 27 
 
Danish SSI has created a new test for coronavirus that requires no chemical reagents. 
 
Denmark's Statens Serum Institut claims to have developed a new test for coronavirus that is quick, simply, and does not require chemical reagents that are in short supply. It announced the discovery in a press release, saying it would soon share the method with other laboratories in Europe. 
 
Danish civil servants asked to take holidays during virus lockdown
 
Danish civil servants holding non-essential positions have been asked to take five days of annual leave during their semi-confinement due to the new coronavirus, Denmark's government announced on Friday. Read our story here
 
Antibody test could be released soon: SSI
 
The Danish health agency SSI expects soon to be able to disseminate coronavirus antibody tests which will let anyone who has had the disease know whether they are immune so they can rejoin the labour market. 
 
“We're not there right now, but we're close. I dare not set a date for when the first antibody tests can come out, but my clear expectation is that it will happen before the epidemic culminates,” Anders Fomsgaard, the agency's head doctor told the Politiken newspaper. 
 
Chairman of Danish Judges Association joins criticism of new coronavirus law 
 
Mikael Sjöberg, Chairman of Danish Judges Association, has slammed the government's planned new coronavirus law as “an inappropriate way of legislating”, questioning whether tougher punishments are really needed for coronavirus-related crimes, in an open letter to justice minister Nick Hækkerup.
 
Thursday, March 26 
 
Government support parties demand changes to new coronavirus law
 
Denmark's government's second coronavirus bill has run into trouble in parliament, after the government's support parties baulked at the idea that theft of a bottle of hand sanitiser should bring a prison sentence. The Red Green Alliance, Socialist Left Party, and Social Liberal Parties have all asked the law to be changed, DR reports
 
Wednesday, March 25 
 
Bestseller plans to stop paying rent for 200 stores 
 
The Danish high-street fashion giant Bestseller has sent letters to more than 200 of the property companies who lease it its stores, asking to be allowed to pause rent payments, according to Ekstra Bladet, which has been sent a copy of the letter. 
 
Denmark's government plans to bring in tougher punishments for coronavirus crimes
 
Denmark's justice minister said that the country now plans to double, or even quadruple the punishment for coronavirus-related crimes.
 
According to a report in Danish state broadcaster DR, companies who attempt to defraud the government over financial aid packages facing punishments four times tougher than normal. Those who steal hand sanitiser or protective equipment from hospitals or pharmacies will face double the normal punishment.  
 
Copenhagen Marathan cancelled 
 
The Copenhagen Marathon, which was due to be held on May 17, has been cancelled, the organisers Sparta have announced.
 
Danish distillery switches from whisky to medical alcohol to fight coronavirus
 
A distillery in Denmark is switching from producing whisky, gin and rum to churning out near pure alcohol for making emergency supplies of alcohol gel hand sanitiser. Read our story here
 
Danes to sing for queen after coronavirus cans birthday bash
 
Denmark's queen has called off her birthday celebrations due to the spread of the new coronavirus, but nearly 140,000 Danes announced that they would sing to celebrate the sovereign's 80th. Read our story here
 
Tuesday, March 24
 
Police in Denmark have recorded 65 gatherings breaking coronavirus ban
 
“It is not a high number, but it is 65 too many,” Anders Frandsen from the Danish national police, said at a press conference, according to Danish national broadcaster DR. “We are going to go forward and issue fines.”
 
Liberal party calls for municipal investment splurge during coronavirus lockdown
 
Denmark's opposition Liberal party has called for money to be given to municipalities to renovate schools and roads while pupils are away and traffic is reduced due to coronavirus. 
 
Denmark calls on citizens to report coronavirus suspects
 
Danish health authorities have begun encouraging citizens to report the behaviour of anyone they suspect of being infected with coronavirus, using a secure email set up for the purpose. Read our story here
 
Hospitals in Denmark start to use swimming goggles as virus protection. 
 
The health authorities in southern Denmark are so short of protective face masks that they have purchased a large consignment of swimming goggles for doctors and nurses to use when treating coronavirus patients. Read our story here
 
Monday, March 23 
 
Lockdown could cut virus spread rate in half: Danish health agency 
 
Denmark's SSI health agency has estimated that the tough lockdown measures the country has put in place could cut the rate the coronavirus pandemic spreads in the country by as much as half. Read our story here
 
Denmark extends coronavirus lockdown a further fortnight
 
Denmark is to extend its coronavirus lockdown for a further two weeks until April 13, the country's prime minister Mette Frederiksen said at a press conference on Monday. At the same press conference, Søren Brostrøm, Director General of the Danish Health Authority, said he now expected the pandemic to peak in Denmark in about four weeks. Read our story here
 

Burglar caught stealing hand sanitiser from Danish hospital
 
A man in Denmark broke into a hospital on Sunday night and attempted to steal 27 bottles of hand sanitiser, police in East Jutland have reported. Read our story here
 
Coronavirus deaths in Denmark near double to 24
 
The number of coronavirus deaths in Denmark nearly doubled over the weekend to 24, according to the latest figures from the Danish health agency SSI. 
 
Danish region to resume testing of health workers
 
The Region of Southern Denmark announced it was resuming testing of health personnel, following a temporary stop due a shortage of equipment. 
 
Sunday, March 22 
 
Danish government changes testing strategy
 
Denmark on Sunday announced that it was changing its testing strategy to follow the guidance of the World Health Organisation. In a press release, health minister Magnus Heunicke said that the the country would now start testing: 
  • Everyone suspected of “moderate to severe” coronavirus.
  • Pregnant women with coronavirus symptoms 
  • Newborn babies with symptoms
  • Workers in critical sectors such as healthcare, elderly care, with mild to moderate symptoms
  • There should be a lower threshold for testing those in vulnerable risk groups 
 
“We are currently challenged by a global lack of test capacity. However, it is our strategy that many more people will be tested for COVID-19 in Denmark,” Heunicke said. 
 
He told the broadcaster TV2 that he had struck agreements with several large Danish companies for them to start producing coronavirus testing kits on a larger scale. On Sunday PentaBase, a pharmaceutical company based on the island of Funen, said it was capable of producing the tests but lacked approval from the Danish authorities.  
 
In the press release, the government said that Denmark could currently produce 3,000 tests domestically a day. 
 
Danish Olympic Committee joins calls for Olympics to be postponed
 
Morten Mølholm, Director General of the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF), said that he believed the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo should be held in 2021 instead, joining a growing chorus of countries wanting to put the games on hold. 
 
Denmark calls on doctors to conserve face masks 
 
The Danish Medicines Agency on Sunday warned that the country's hospitals were running short of essential protective equipment, such as hand sanitiser, face masks, and protective visors. Read our story here
 
Saturday, March 21 
 
Danish Health Authority says may have to stop testing health workers
 
The Danish Health Authority announced that it might have to stop testing every health professional who display mild coronavirus symptoms, so as to prioritise the testing of patients. This came after Denmark's Southern health region announced on Friday that it was temporarily stopping testing health professionals due to a shortage of testing equipment. The Central Denmark health region on Saturday said it was stopping the testing of health personnel.  
 
Danish Police sends texts to all Danes warning them to keep their distance
 
The Danish National Police announced on Twitter that they were sending a text message to all mobile subscribers in Denmark with a reminder to abide by the authorities' instructions and keep at a distance, despite the sunny weather. 
 
Friday, March 20
 
Danish police chief warns Danes not to enjoy spring sunshine together 
 
Thorkild Fogde, Denmark's chief of police, ended an exhausting working week by begging his countrymen not to let their hair down over the weekend, or take advantage of the good weather to hang out in groups outside.
 
“We have a sunny weekend ahead of us, and that worries us,” he told a press conference on Friday afternoon. “We have to keep our distance out there. The country has not invested billions of kroner in curbing the infection only to see people break the ban on meeting in groups.” 
 
He warned that police would from today begin to impose fines on people seen breaking Denmark's ban on groups of ten or more. 
 
Should children still be able to play with their friends?
 
Denmark's health authorities were criticised on Friday after giving confusing advance on whether children can play with eachother. 
 
Kåre Mølbak, Director General of the Danish health agency SSI, said in an interview on Thursday night that children should not be allowed to play with one another. 
 
“They [people] should listen to what our Prime Minister and Queen have said,” he said. “People should keep their distance from one another, and children don't do that. So you should cancel all of their play dates.” 
 
SSI issued a correction to the advice on Friday morning, after the Ekstra Bladet newspaper reported that this contradicted the official advice of the Danish Health Authority. 
 
“No one is forbidding healthy children from playing together,” Mølbak said. “If you have a play date, you should adhere to the advice prepared by the National Board of Health. That is, the play should be done outside, in groups of two to three children, the play date must be short, the children should keep a distance and they must be healthy.” 
 
Søren Brøstrøm, Director General of the Danish Health Authority, apologised for the confusion.  He said parents should: Limit the number of play dates, limit the number of children to one to two children per play date, avoid having multiple play dates in succession, play outside if possible, and to avoid large playgrounds. 
 
Foreign workers in Denmark fear deportation due to coronavirus lockdown 
 
Naqeeb Khan from the Danish Green Card Association wrote an opinion piece for The Local asking for the Danish government to relax its income and working hours requirements for green card extensions and permanent residency. Otherwise, he warned, thousands of foreign workers risk losing their right to stay in Denmark. 

Member comments

  1. If you update weekly at the beginning of the week, I think it paints an overly negative picture. The number hospitalized has fallen steadily for week but seems to bump up very slightly at the weekend – maybe fewer doctors work weekend to examine and discharge patients while sick people will always be admitted?

    Yes, the numbers went up very slightly over the weekend, but never up to the day before that, which itself was a fall from the day before. This “falls during the week with a bump at the weekend” pattern seems to have repeated for a few weeks.

    The real picture is surely that there were over 50 fewer people hospitalized than at the same point the previous week?

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COVID-19

Public Health Agency recommends two Covid doses next year for elderly

Sweden's Public Health Agency is recommending that those above the age of 80 should receive two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine a year, once in the spring and once in the autumn, as it shifts towards a longer-term strategy for the virus.

Public Health Agency recommends two Covid doses next year for elderly

In a new recommendation, the agency said that those living in elderly care centres, and those above the age of 80 should from March 1st receive two vaccinations a year, with a six month gap between doses. 

“Elderly people develop a somewhat worse immune defence after vaccination and immunity wanes faster than among young and healthy people,” the agency said. “That means that elderly people have a greater need of booster doses than younger ones. The Swedish Public Health Agency considers, based on the current knowledge, that it will be important even going into the future to have booster doses for the elderly and people in risk groups.” 

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People between the ages of 65 and 79 years old and young people with risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes, poor kidney function or high blood pressure, are recommended to take one additional dose per year.

The new vaccination recommendation, which will start to apply from March 1st next year, is only for 2023, Johanna Rubin, the investigator in the agency’s vaccination programme unit, explained. 

She said too much was still unclear about how long protection from vaccination lasted to institute a permanent programme.

“This recommendation applies to 2023. There is not really an abundance of data on how long protection lasts after a booster dose, of course, but this is what we can say for now,” she told the TT newswire. 

It was likely, however, that elderly people would end up being given an annual dose to protect them from any new variants, as has long been the case with influenza.

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