By: V4 Agency
The fact that undocumented illegal migrants may be given priority by the Scandinavian country’s coronavirus mass vaccination plan has provoked considerable outrage in political circles.
The Swedish Public Health Agency has published Sweden’s coronavirus vaccination plan. Experts have divided the country’s population of ten million people into four groups and determined four phases for vaccination procedure.
In the first round residents and workers in nursing homes will get the jab, along with those who care for the ill or the elderly at home. The second phase includes health workers over the age of 65 who have undergone an organ transplant in the past 12 months.
In the third phase, medical workers will vaccinate those in the 60-64 age group, as well as those between 18-59 who have serious underlying diseases.
“In the third phase, priority will also be given to groups which may have difficulty complying with the pandemic response recommendations for various reasons, and are thus more exposed to a possible infection. This applies to people aged 18-59 who struggle with dementia, cognitive or mental disabilities. This also applies to people in a vulnerable social situation such as those without shelter or documents,” according to the vaccination plan.
In the fourth round, those aged 18 or above who were not included in the previous three phases will be inoculated. In light of this, the question of why illegal immigrants enjoy priority appears justified.
Jimmie Akesson, leader of the Sweden Democrats party took to Twitter to voice his disapproval.
“This is a rather remarkable priority. Prioritising someone always happens at the expense of someone else. It is unreasonable that people staying in Sweden illegally should come before Swedish citizens or before those staying in the country with a residency permit,” Akesson tweeted.
The document issued by the Public Health Agency of Sweden also states that jabs should be administered according to a set of social and economic criteria in case there is a shortage of vaccine. This has also been criticised by the Sweden Democrats.
Sweden is the worst-hit by the pandemic among the Scandinavian countries. Since the beginning of the outbreak, the country has registered 584,674 cases and the death toll has reached 12,028. Barely 3 per cent of Sweden’s population have been vaccinated so far, with the vast majority having received only the first dose.
