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VACCINATIONS

Swiss cantons to start vaccinating younger people after increase in severe Covid cases

Authorities in at least two Swiss cantons have opened up vaccinations to younger members of the general public. The change was made due to the increasing number of serious Covid cases among younger people.

Swiss cantons to start vaccinating younger people after increase in severe Covid cases
The Moderna vaccine. Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP

Two Swiss cantons – Zug and Uri – have announced they will begin vaccinating younger members of the general public, effective immediately. 

The change has been made due to an increase in the prevalence of severe cases of the virus in younger people. 

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of people between the ages of 50 and 60 who have been hospitalised in recent weeks, many of whom have been admitted to intensive care. 

In Uri – the canton which has administered the most doses on a per capita basis – vaccinations will now be available to people aged 50 and over. 

READ MORE: How to register for the coronavirus vaccine in your Swiss canton

In Zug, the age has been lowered to 45, effective immediately. 

The appointments have already been made available in both cantons. 

Zug

A spokesperson for the canton of Zug told Swiss news outlet 20 Minutes that the majority of those admitted to hospital were now under the age of 60. 

““In the last week, 70 percent of the hospitalised Corona patients in the canton of Zug were under 60 years old. In the ‘first wave’ in spring 2020, this proportion was still below 30 percent,” the spokesperson said. 

“Everyone over 45 years of age can register with immediate effect. The vaccination appointments are then assigned continuously.”

“In Zug, we try to vaccinate the vaccination doses that have been delivered as quickly as possible. This works very well thanks to the efficient operation in the vaccination centre, which is why this opening up to the next group is now possible,” said Zug health director Martin Pfister. 

Pfister encouraged all of those who are over 65 to register, saying that they were still being prioritised. 

Click this link to register for the vaccine in Zug. 

Uri

Cantonal authorities in Uri put out a statement saying the vaccination campaign would be expanded to include more younger people as a reaction to the increasing number of severe cases. 

“The opening of the registration option for people over 50 years of age is intended to protect this population group in the event of infection with the coronavirus and prevent a severe course of the disease”.

In order to register for the vaccine in the canton of Uri, you must speak with your GP or contact the vaccination centre in the cantonal hospital on +41 (0) 41 875 50 70. 

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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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