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Elizabeth Hart's avatar

Why did Sweden vaccinate?

I asked this question on 22 December 2020, i.e.

Dr Tegnell, how do you justify fast-tracked coronavirus vaccination in Sweden, based on mortality figures for COVID-19?

According to Statista[5], as of 17 December 2020, 7,893 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 over the past nearly 10 months. 5,465 of these deaths were in people aged over 80 years, including 2,150 over 90 years. 1,654 deaths were in the 70-79 year age group, making a total 7,119 deaths in people aged over 70 years. 494 deaths in the age group 60- 69 years. 185 deaths in the age group 50-59 years. And 95 deaths in the age group 0-49 years.

This is in a population of around 10.4 million[6], with expected annual deaths of around 90 odd thousand[7]. Deaths attributed to COVID-19, mainly in elderly people with comorbidities, have to be seen in this context.

According to EUROMOMO, Sweden currently has 'low excess deaths'[8], and the number of deaths in Sweden reported by Statista as of 11 December 2020 (89,491)[7] does not look on track to excessively exceed the numbers of other years. Even if it does eventuate there are a few thousand extra deaths due to this coronavirus, does this justify actions that will impact on the entire population for years to come, i.e. the implementation of annual, and possibly even more frequent, coronavirus vaccination?

Dr Tegnell, given most of the deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Sweden are in people aged over 70 years, is it appropriate and ethical to implement experimental, fast-tracked vaccine products for the Swedish population?

See my full email to Anders Tegnell via this link: https://vaccinationispolitical.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/sweden-coronavirus-vaccination-ethical-considerations.pdf

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Alan Richards's avatar

If Anders and Johan had turned away the jabs, the gap would be even bigger.

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