By Suzanne Burdick, Ph.D.

Sweden is moving away from mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, but will continue to recommend that adults with health issues and older healthy adults get vaccinated against the virus.

Sweden awarded its national procurement for the 2027-2028 COVID-19 season to Sanofi for its non-mRNA protein-based Nuvaxovid vaccine.

“This makes Sweden the first country to procure exclusively a protein-based COVID-19 vaccine for a national campaign,” said Jonathan Gilthorpe, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Medical and Translational Biology at Umeå University, and Vibeke Manniche, MD, Ph.D., in an Oct. 28 statement to The Defender.

Under the contract, Sweden’s 21 healthcare regions will procure shipments of Sanofi’s non-mRNA shot in mid-2027 for distribution to individuals ages 12 and up, Gilthorpe said.

No contracts were signed that would make COVID-19 vaccines available to children under age 12.

Gilthorpe, who has expertise in how mRNA and spike protein technologies can harm the body, told The Defender, “Unlike mRNA vaccines, which instruct the body’s cells to produce the spike protein, Nuvaxovid supplies the immune system with a ready-made version of the protein.”

In a Phase 4 clinical trial completed in April, Nuvaxovid recipients reported less severe and shorter side effects compared to those who received Moderna’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, mNEXSPIKE.

Still, Nuvaxovid’s package insert lists several serious possible side effects, including myocarditis and pericarditis.

Gilthorpe said news about the procurement was publicized earlier in the year, but went viral in certain channels this week.

According to the Swedish Public Health Agency, Sanofi announced in April that its protein-based COVID-19 vaccine had been selected by Sweden as the sole COVID-19 vaccine for the 2027-2028 season.

Sweden could still use other mRNA shots

On Tuesday, Gilthorpe said he saw many people erroneously posting on X that Sweden had officially stopped using mRNA vaccines. “That’s definitely not the case,” Gilthorpe said.

Sweden could still use mRNA platforms for other vaccines, Gilthorpe said.

MRNA vaccines are still legal in Sweden, and could be used if the European Union approves them, because Sweden is part of the European Union, he said.

“If something is approved in the European Union, then Sweden is able to use it, buy, import it, sell it. But it doesn’t have to.”

Plus, Sweden will still dispense mRNA COVID-19 vaccines until mid-2027 when it switches to Sanofi’s protein-based vaccine. The new contract runs June 1, 2027, to Aug. 31, 2028, with final volumes fixed in March 2027.

Sweden rejected lockdowns during pandemic, but set up a national vaccine registry

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Sweden took a relatively different approach from other Western countries. That was largely because Swedish politicians weren’t the ones making pandemic measure decisions, Gilthorpe said.

Although the Swedish Public Health Agency is funded by the government, it functions independently from the government — similar to how public universities work, Gilthorpe said.

At the onset of the pandemic, Anders Tegnell worked as the state epidemiologist in the Swedish Public Health Agency. He set a different course than the U.S. by rejecting lockdowns and not recommending COVID-19 shots for young children.

Lockdowns would never have gone over in Sweden because the country has a law ensuring people’s right to roam freely, Gilthorpe said. Even children in school learn about the law.

“Had they tried to do that, it would’ve created absolute uproar in Sweden.”

However, Swedish leaders did institute a national vaccine registry — which didn’t exist before COVID-19 and can be used in the future as part of a digital ID system.

“They just did it very quietly. And Swedes are very compliant,” Gilthorpe added.

The Swedish Public Health Agency and Sanofi did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the decision to switch from mRNA COVID-19 vaccines to the protein-based Nuvaxovid.

Related articles in The Defender

• UK Knew About Possible Fatal Blood Clot Risk, But Allowed COVID Vaccine Trial on Kids to Continue
• Argentinian Official Who Oversaw Pfizer COVID Vaccine Trials Sued for Failing to Prevent Fentanyl Deaths
• Canadian Lawmakers Hold 4-Day Inquiry Into COVID Vaccine Injuries
• Fauci Says Kids Under 5 Might Need 3 Shots, as Sweden Says Benefits Don’t Outweigh Risks for Young Kids

The post Sweden Shifts Away From mRNA COVID Vaccines, but Still Recommends Adults Get Vaccinated appeared first on Children’s Health Defense.

 

IPAK-EDU is grateful to The Defender as this piece was originally published there and is included in this news feed with mutual agreement. Read More