Autumn and winter 2022-23

It is anticipated that COVID-19 will turn into a seasonal infection, which we know from e.g., the influenza infection. This means that we can expect the infection to reappear in the fall and winter of 2022/23. The aim of the autumn/winter vaccination programme against covid-19 and influenza is to protect those at risk of becoming severely ill.

The Health Authority recommends that everyone aged 50 and over receive a booster vaccination against covid-19. We also recommend giving booster vaccination against covid-19 to pregnant women, staff in the healthcare and elderly care sector and in selected parts of the social services sector who have close contact with citizens and patients at higher risk as well as relatives of persons at particularly higher risk. Selected persons aged under 50 who are at higher risk of becoming severely ill from covid-19 will also be able to receive a booster vaccination based on an individual assessment.

The status of the epidemic will be closely monitored, and the vaccination programme will be adjusted if required.

The reason why we also recommend vaccination against covid-19 for persons aged under 50 who are either relatives of persons at particularly higher risk or of healthcare professionals or others who are in contact with persons at particularly higher risk is that the variant-updated mRNA vaccines that we use in the autumn vaccination programme may have a preventive effect on infection.

If you are in the target group for, for example, vaccination against both influenza and covid-19, you will have the opportunity to get both vaccines at the same time.

We use variant-updated vaccines

We will offer variant-updated vaccines, which are a further development of the original mRNA vaccines we already know. The vaccines have now been updated to provide better protection against the Omicron variant, and we also expect the effect of the vaccines to last longer. The vaccines are regarded as very safe, and the side effects are the same as with the original mRNA vaccines.

Who will be offered vaccination against COVID-19?

• Anyone aged 50 and over
• People aged under 50 who are at higher risk of becoming severely ill
• Staff in the healthcare and elderly care sector as well as parts of the social services sector with close contact to patients at higher risk
• Relatives of persons at particularly higher risk
• Pregnant women