Danish health officials said Monday they plan to dispose of 1.1 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine in the coming weeks because their expiration date is approaching and efforts to donate them to developing countries have failed.
The Statens Serum Institute, a government agency that monitors the spread of Corona in Denmark, said that the epidemic in the Scandinavian country is “currently under control, and vaccine coverage in the Danish population is high.”
About 81% of Denmark’s 5.8 million people received two doses of the Corona vaccine, while nearly 62% of the population received a booster dose.
The institute noted that Denmark, like most countries around the world, has a surplus of vaccines, adding that “Now there are global challenges to donate corona vaccines because for the first time during the pandemic, a situation has arisen where the supply of vaccines has exceeded demand. This also applies to Denmark.
The institute’s statement added that “Denmark has donated regarding nine million doses of vaccines and is cooperating with other European Union countries to find countries that will receive surplus vaccines.”
“However, given the low demand and lack of capacity to spread and prepare for immunization in developing countries, it has been difficult for Denmark and other EU countries to find recipient countries for overdose,” he added.