Denmark comes up as the first country to halt its Covid vaccination program as the virus is now under control.
The Danish Health Authority said to sources that now that spring has arrived, vaccine coverage in the Danish population is high and the epidemic has reversed. Hence, the National Board of Health is now ceasing its vaccination efforts against Covid-19 for this season.
No vaccination was conducted since May 15, though people were allowed to finish their course of vaccination that was pending.
Denmark began its Covid vaccination soon after Christmas in 2020 and vaccinated around 4.8 million citizens. And around 3.6 million people received the booster shot.
And at the same time, many people have been infected since the omicron variant became the dominant strain of the virus. That means the immunity levels among the population are high.
Bolette Soborg, unit manager at the National Board of Health commented that they are in a good place. He further said that they have good control of the epidemic, which is subsiding. Admission rates are stable, and we expect them to fall soon. Hence, we are rounding up the mass vaccination program, against Covid -19.”
Soborg stressed that the public can still be vaccinated over the spring and summer if they want as sites will still remain open around the country. He added that immunisation would still be available for those over the age of 40 and for unvaccinated pregnant women.
Covid situation remains mixed around the world as the US and Europe have abandoned most Covid restrictions, but China is still imposing lockdowns. Over the course of lockdown,new variants of the virus have emerged. They have eroded the validity of the covid vaccines that were developed in record time in 2020.
As the vaccination program is aimed to restart in a few months’ time, Denmark’s health experts shall look at who should be vaccinated, when the shots should be given and which vaccines should be used. The Danish Health and Medicines Authority has said it would continue to follow th development of the epidemic closely and would revive vaccination efforts again, if there is a need to immunize additional target groups before the fal
