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COVID-19

Rate of infection spread in Denmark ‘higher since schools opening’

The rate at which the coronavirus infection is spreading in Denmark has increased since the country opened schools and kindergartens, but not enough to stop the decline in the number of people infected.

Published: 30 April 2020 19:38 CEST
Rate of infection spread in Denmark 'higher since schools opening'
Niels Christian Vilmann/Ritzau Scanpix
According to a new analysis from Denmark's infectious diseases agency SSI, the so-called reproduction rate has increased from 0.6 to 0.9, still below the crucial figure of 1, which means that each infected person on average infects on average one other over the course of their illness. 
 
“There is no indication that there is an actual acceleration of the epidemic,” the agency wrote in a status report. 
 
If the reproduction rate is above one, that means the number of infected in a society will grow, if it is slightly below, the number will decline. 
 
“Our conclusion is that the number of admissions as a result of Covid-19 in Denmark has now stabilised at about 20 to 40 admissions per day, and that the reproduction rate is not decreasing to the same extent as we saw in the period before Easter,” it said. 
 
 
The institute modelled the reproduction rate on the back of the number of  infected people being admitted to hospital each day.  
 
The new analysis may lead Denmark's politicians to exercise more caution as they decide which parts of Denmark's lockdown to lift next, as the rate is extremely close to increasing above one, meaning the curve will once again begin to turn upwards. 
 
 

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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.

Published: 23 December 2022 10:53 CET
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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