Iceland’s third week of a nationwide booster shot administration campaign has gotten off to a flying start, Vísir reports. Over 7,000 people turned up to Laugardalshöll in Reykjavík yesterday to receive their booster. Iceland’s Chief Epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason was one of them.
Booster shots were administered in Reykjavík between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM yesterday. Director of Nursing for Capital Area Healthcare Centres Ragnheiður Ósk Erlendsdóttir called it a successful day. “It went wonderfully today. Around 7,150 people came today, which is pretty good, it’s the second time we’re topping the 7,000 person record, we most likely topped it on one of the days in week one, so there has been very good attendance,” Ragnheiður stated.
Þórólfur Guðnason, Iceland’s Chief Epidemiologist, turned up to receive his booster yesterday. Þórólfur was fully vaccinated with AstraZeneca, and joked about being a “traitor” when he received his Moderna booster.
Icelandic residents who are fully vaccinated have begun receiving SMS messages inviting them for booster shots. Attendance has been around 70%. The Capital Area Healthcare Service has also been holding an open house on Thursdays and Fridays for those who have yet to receive their first or second shot of COVID-19 vaccine.
Over 90% of Iceland’s eligible population (12 years of age and older) is fully vaccinated. Nearly 100,000 (97,785) have received a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccine in Iceland, while 39,206 have received a second shot following vaccination with the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) single-dose vaccine.
Þórólfur has stated that the booster shot campaign could help Iceland reach herd immunity. Of the 30,000 people who have received a booster shot in Iceland in early November, only 10 had contracted COVID, around 0.03%. Of the 270,000-280,000 that are fully vaccinated, 4,500 people had contracted COVID, around 1.6%.
