Iceland to Purchase COVID-19 Vaccine through Sweden
Sweden's Minister of Health Lena Hallengren. Skjáskot/SVT
At yesterday’s press conference of Icelandic health officials, it was revealed that Swedish authorities would serve as an intermediary for the sale of COVID-19 vaccine to Iceland via a collaborative project of the European Union.
This was announced in Sweden yesterday by Sweden’s Minister of Health Lena Hallengren, who noted that clinical trials would reveal whether people required one or two doses of the vaccine.
Sweden will purchase the vaccine from the Swedish/British company Astra Zeneca, provided the vaccine candidate successfully passes all clinical trials.
According to clinicaltrials.com , “[i]n the Phase I/II COV001 trial conducted in the UK, the vaccine was tolerated and generated strong immune responses in all evaluated participants. Findings were published in The Lancet journal.
Chief Epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason.
Study results showed that a single dose of the vaccine led to a four-fold increase in antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in 95 percent of participants one month following vaccination.”
The same source states that “AstraZeneca forged deals with multiple countries to produce more than two billion doses of the investigational Covid-19 vaccine and hopes to secure approval by the end of this year.”
Chief Epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason stated at the press conference in Reykjavík yesterday that the number confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Icelandic borders has increased in recent days, The most obvious reason, he added, is that the pandemic is on the rise abroad.
He is pleased, however, that at the same time, the number of new confirmed domestic cases is decreasing. That may give reason to consider easing some restrictions domestically.
He added that clearly, some sort of restrictions would have to remain in place at the border for the coming months or year, but not necessarily in exactly the same for as at present.
For all the latest information on COVID-19 in Iceland, go to covid.is . The website provides all the COVID-19-related information you need when planning a visit to the country .
