Covid booster shots in Sweden: Who can get them and how to book
Now that Sweden has started offering booster shots, some of The Local's readers have been wondering how to go about booking, and whether they're eligible. Here's our guide on how it's done.
Who is eligible in the first round?
The first round of Covid-19 booster shots are now being offered to some groups of Swedish society.
People eligible for the first round of boosters include:
- Those born in 1956 or earlier (aged 65 or over)
- Those living in elderly care homes
- Those receiving at-home care
- Those working in elderly care homes or with at-home care
Additionally, there are rules on how much time must have passed since your second dose before you are eligible for a third dose.
If you are over 65, you need to wait five months after your second dose before you are able to get your third. If you are in one of the other groups eligible for a booster shot of the Covid-19 vaccine, you will need to wait six months.
Who will be eligible in the second round, and when will that start?
The second round of booster shots will be given once 80 percent of those aged 65-79 have received their first dose. This will be measured on a regional level, meaning that the start date of the second round of booster shots will be slightly different in different regions, as regions each individually reach this milestone.
Once this goal has been achieved, the following people will be eligible for a booster dose:
- Those aged 50-64
- Adults receiving LSS assistance, as well as adults receiving personal assistant benefits due to a disability
- Adults in the following risk groups:
- Chronic cardiovascular disease, including strokes and hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Chronic lung disease such as COPD and severe and unstable asthma
- Other conditions that lead to impaired lung function or impaired coughing and secretion stagnation (for example, extreme obesity, neuromuscular diseases or multiple disabilities)
- Chronic liver or kidney failure
- Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- Conditions that severely weaken the immune system due to an illness or treatment
- Down syndrome
- Pregnant women with certain pregnancy-related risk factors - such as age over 35, hypertension, diabetes, a BMI over 30, or other factors determined after individual assessment.
Once 60 percent of those aged 50-64 have received their booster dose, doses will be extended to those aged 18-49, prioritised by age.
How do I book my booster shot?
For those who are eligible for booster shots, the booking system varies depending on which region you live in – check healthcare website 1177 for details if you are unsure what applies to you (click välj region in the menu bar to select specific information for your region).
In some regions you will be contacted directly by your healthcare centre (vårdcentral) where you got your first two vaccine doses and given an appointment, in others you will need to contact your healthcare centre yourself for an appointment or go to a drop-in vaccination service.
You should take your Covid pass or your proof of vaccination with you and ID.
Those living in care homes will be vaccinated at home.
The third dose is, just like the first two, free for everyone in Sweden, including foreign residents without a Swedish identity number (personnummer). If you do lack a personnummer, you may find it easiest to go to a drop-in service once you become eligible for the third dose, rather than try to book an appointment, but the best and most efficient procedure will likely depend on which region you live in.
The Local has contacted the Public Health Agency for more information on how this will work for those who are eligible for booster shots but received their first and second vaccines outside of Sweden.
Thanks to everyone who has got in touch to ask about booster shots. You are always welcome to get in touch with our editorial team at [email protected] if you have further questions. We may not be able to reply to every email, but we read them all and they help inform our coverage.
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Who is eligible in the first round?
The first round of Covid-19 booster shots are now being offered to some groups of Swedish society.
People eligible for the first round of boosters include:
- Those born in 1956 or earlier (aged 65 or over)
- Those living in elderly care homes
- Those receiving at-home care
- Those working in elderly care homes or with at-home care
Additionally, there are rules on how much time must have passed since your second dose before you are eligible for a third dose.
If you are over 65, you need to wait five months after your second dose before you are able to get your third. If you are in one of the other groups eligible for a booster shot of the Covid-19 vaccine, you will need to wait six months.
Who will be eligible in the second round, and when will that start?
The second round of booster shots will be given once 80 percent of those aged 65-79 have received their first dose. This will be measured on a regional level, meaning that the start date of the second round of booster shots will be slightly different in different regions, as regions each individually reach this milestone.
Once this goal has been achieved, the following people will be eligible for a booster dose:
- Those aged 50-64
- Adults receiving LSS assistance, as well as adults receiving personal assistant benefits due to a disability
- Adults in the following risk groups:
- Chronic cardiovascular disease, including strokes and hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Chronic lung disease such as COPD and severe and unstable asthma
- Other conditions that lead to impaired lung function or impaired coughing and secretion stagnation (for example, extreme obesity, neuromuscular diseases or multiple disabilities)
- Chronic liver or kidney failure
- Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- Conditions that severely weaken the immune system due to an illness or treatment
- Down syndrome
- Pregnant women with certain pregnancy-related risk factors - such as age over 35, hypertension, diabetes, a BMI over 30, or other factors determined after individual assessment.
Once 60 percent of those aged 50-64 have received their booster dose, doses will be extended to those aged 18-49, prioritised by age.
How do I book my booster shot?
For those who are eligible for booster shots, the booking system varies depending on which region you live in – check healthcare website 1177 for details if you are unsure what applies to you (click välj region in the menu bar to select specific information for your region).
In some regions you will be contacted directly by your healthcare centre (vårdcentral) where you got your first two vaccine doses and given an appointment, in others you will need to contact your healthcare centre yourself for an appointment or go to a drop-in vaccination service.
You should take your Covid pass or your proof of vaccination with you and ID.
Those living in care homes will be vaccinated at home.
The third dose is, just like the first two, free for everyone in Sweden, including foreign residents without a Swedish identity number (personnummer). If you do lack a personnummer, you may find it easiest to go to a drop-in service once you become eligible for the third dose, rather than try to book an appointment, but the best and most efficient procedure will likely depend on which region you live in.
The Local has contacted the Public Health Agency for more information on how this will work for those who are eligible for booster shots but received their first and second vaccines outside of Sweden.
Thanks to everyone who has got in touch to ask about booster shots. You are always welcome to get in touch with our editorial team at [email protected] if you have further questions. We may not be able to reply to every email, but we read them all and they help inform our coverage.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
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