The agency’s Sara Byfors said at the Covid-19 briefing that the spread of infection was declining among all age groups in Sweden.

As of September 23rd, there are 283 patients being treated for Covid-19 in hospital, 39 of them in ICUs. A total of 19 of Sweden’s 21 regions are now in ‘normal’ mode, a major improvement from earlier points in the pandemic when most have been in ‘crisis’ or ‘preparedness’ modes due to the burden from the pandemic.

Byfors also said the agency would share more information soon about which groups would be offered a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. The first regions have already begun rolling out booster shots to people in risk groups as of earlier this month.

This is currently a group of around 40,000 people, but the third dose may be rolled out further based on the agency’s assessment.

“The purpose of that vaccination is to prevent serious illness and death. We will provide information in the near future about who, where, when and how it will be done,” said Byfors.

“As with all vaccinations, there must be a benefit with it, the benefit must consider the possible risks that exist. There are signals from the outside world that indicate that you see a fading protection from the vaccination after a certain time, especially in those who are older. It is important to counter this with a third dose, at the same time as you must have information if there are side effects after a third dose compared to after a second dose.”

The update on booster shots comes amid concern over slight rise in the number of Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes. The infection rate in these environments appears to be declining but the figures so far are uncertain, according to the update from Iréne Nilsson Carlsson, public health advisor at the National Board of Health and Welfare. 

“We are following this closely and do not want [the infection rate in nursing homes] to stand out as it did last autumn. It is both vaccinated and unvaccinated people who die,” Nilsson Carlsson said, urging everyone who meets or works with fragile elderly people to take particular care to reduce the risk of spreading infection and maintain good hygiene standards. 

This week, eight people died at an elderly care home in Överkalix, northern Sweden following an outbreak in which 17 residents in total caught Covid-19. All but one had received two doses of the vaccine against the virus, the municipality reported. Last week, nearly two thirds (65 percent) of those who died after testing positive were care home residents.

Asked by Aftonbladet TV how Sweden could work to prevent the virus entering nursing homes, Byfors said: “It is important to continue working to get as many people vaccinated as possible. More important than a third dose is that everyone takes their first dose. Then also that you follow the basic hygiene routines that you need to prevent all possible diseases.”

• KEY POINTS: How Sweden’s Covid-19 rules will change in September