Coronavirus: Key points from the press conference held by the Danish Minister of Health this Friday afternoon
Health Minister Magnus Heunicke held a press conference this Friday afternoon regarding the health authorities' plan to deal with the coronavirus during the coming winter. Søren Brostrøm, Director of the Danish Health Authority, Lars Bo Nielsen, Director of the Danish Medicines Agency, and Tera Grove-Truss, Professional Director at the State Serum Institute, participated in the press conference. Heunicke announced a coronavirus vaccination plan for specific groups during the press conference, while Brostrøm explained that the vaccination plan is not aimed at stopping the epidemic at the community level, but rather at providing prevention and protection for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, people with chronic diseases, and pregnant women. A plan for influenza and pneumococcal vaccines was also presented.
The following is a brief summary of the main points raised in the press conference:
- Vaccination plan and expanded target group: First, a fourth booster dose is being offered to Danes over the age of 85 and residents of nursing homes via email invitations (e-Boks) by September 13 at the latest.
- In addition, a new dose will be offered before October 1 to the following groups: people aged 50 and over, people under 50 who are at risk of developing an advanced stage of coronavirus, health and care workers and parts of the social sector who are in close contact with patients, relatives of people at risk of contracting the virus, and pregnant women.
- No vaccine for others: People who are not part of the groups mentioned cannot get a booster dose even if they wanted to.
- Two new vaccines are being used: so far Denmark has purchased 4.5 million doses of an updated Corona vaccine to deal with the Omikron variant, and the Danish Medicines Agency expects the side effects profile to be similar to vaccines previously supplied by Denmark.
- No expectation of community restrictions: The Danish Health Authority does not expect that community restrictions will be necessary to limit infections during the autumn and winter.
In addition, vaccination will be offered at the same time to receive either the influenza vaccine or the pneumococcus vaccine:
First: InfluenzaThe following groups will be offered the flu vaccine:
- Everyone aged 65 and over
- Pregnant women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy
- Children aged between two and six years
- People with certain chronic diseases
- Health and Care Staff
Second: Pneumokok vaccine For pneumonia, the following groups will receive an offer to take the vaccine (it is usually given every six years).
- People over 65 years of age
- People with chronic diseases
