Vaccination against COVID-19

Everyone aged 12 or older is being offered vaccination.

Individuals who as seeking asylum or are in Sweden without permission are also offered vaccination free of charge. The same applies to individuals who are studying or working in Sweden, but are not Swedish citizens.

We recommend that you get vaccinated even if you have had COVID-19.

You will receive the vaccine as a needle jab in the arm. Two shots are required. You will get the shots at different times.

You will be asked to stay for 15 minutes after receiving your shot. This is to make sure you feel fine afterwards.

Two weeks after receiving the second dose of the vaccine, you will have very good protection against COVID-19.

Some people may need an extra dose of the vaccine

You will be offered a third dose of the vaccine if any of the following apply:

• You live in a care home for the elderly.
• You are receiving home help or home health services.
• You are aged 80 or older.

You may also need an extra dose of the vaccine if you have a severely weakened immune system. Your doctor will decide whether you need it. 

You cannot choose which brand of vaccine you receive.

You have the right to receive information from the healthcare staff when getting the vaccine. If you have any questions, just ask.

You should not get vaccinated if you have a fever or symptoms of COVID-19.

Your arm may feel sore, or you may have a headache or feel tired for the first 24 hours after the vaccination. You may also get the chills or a fever, or have joint and muscle aches. These are called side effects, and are common in children and adults who have received the COVID-19 vaccine.

Any discomfort is usually mild and will go away after a few days.  

Stay home for as long as you have symptoms. 

If the symptoms do not go away within a day, you need to get tested.

Uncommon side effects of vaccination

Many millions of people have been vaccinated against COVID-19. A few people have experienced serious side effects after vaccination. This is very rare. There is a much higher risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19.

You can make a report to the Swedish Medical Products Agency if you suspect that the vaccine has caused any side effects. The page is in Swedish.

Healthcare staff also report any side effects that they suspect were caused by the vaccine.

Information on suspected side effects is collected. The side effects are then investigated to see if there is any link to the vaccine.

If you are pregnant, COVID-19 could make you very sick. Vaccination is recommended to protect both you and the baby. 

Many pregnant individuals around the world have been vaccinated against COVID-19. It will not cause harm to the unborn baby.

Talk to your midwife if you have any questions.

Children can become seriously ill with COVID-19, although this is rare. Children aged 12 and over are therefore being offered the vaccine.

Many millions of children over the age of 12 have been vaccinated against COVID-19 around the world.

People under the age of 18 may need the consent of a guardian to receive the vaccine. Contact someone at the vaccination site if you want to get vaccinated, but do not have a guardian’s consent.

Talk to a doctor if you have previously had an allergic reaction and needed to seek medical attention that same day. It can be from a vaccination, a medicine or something you had eaten.

The COVID-19 vaccine has undergone the same kinds of thorough checks as other vaccines. Many adults and children have received the vaccine, and researchers have studied its effects. The vaccine is still being studied. 

Researchers from many different countries have worked together to develop the vaccine. Many countries and companies throughout the world have invested a great deal of money. That is why it was possible to develop the vaccine so quickly.

On the webpage Så fungerar vaccin (How vaccines work), you can read and watch videos about the vaccine. The text and videos are in Swedish.

You should continue to follow the authorities’ guidelines even after receiving the vaccination.

There is a slight risk that you will get the disease even if you are vaccinated.