Danes worldwide survey: Covid-19 vaccines for Danes abroad

(Photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP)

Danes Worldwide recently launched a digital survey regarding the attitudes of Danes abroad in connection with the Covid-19 conditions in Denmark. The survey was completed by 3,310 danish citizens living in 111 countries globally. The study showed that Danes abroad have a general desire for the Covid-19 vaccine and that almost every fifth respondent in the study has already been vaccinated. A majority answered that they expect to be vaccinated within 6 months, but one-fifth of the respondents experience an unknown time horizon for when it will be a possibility for them.

For those who either do not know the possibilities yet or already know that it is not possible, the future is fraught with great uncertainty. In the survey, Danes worldwide asked the 3.6% of respondents who answered “I can not be vaccinated in my country of residence” what the lack of vaccination options is due to. The primary reason is that the country of residence only vaccinates its own nationals. In other words, people with a temporary residence permit do not receive the offer. The second most common reason is that the country of residence simply does not have a vaccination plan.

Danes Worldwide continues to work to ensure that Danes abroad without vaccination opportunities in their country of residence can be vaccinated in Denmark. To this, Danes Worldwide’s Secretary-General, Anne Marie Dalgaard says: “It is Danes Worldwide’s raison d’être to help our members, who for the most part live abroad. When we see that there is a problem for our members, we must work to find a solution. And we do so with access to corona vaccines because we have a group of members who are not covered by the vaccination program in their country of residence. It is our duty as a member organization. In my view, it is Denmark’s obligation as a minimum to provide for its own citizens in the international fight against the corona pandemic. ”

Anne Marie Dalgaard explains further, “If the Danish government makes vaccines available free of charge – also for Danish citizens living abroad – we welcome it. But we do not expect it. The most important thing at all is to have access to be vaccinated, and if that means our members have to pay for it, we accept it. Here it is important to remember that the health care system in Denmark is tax-financed, so if you are not taxable in Denmark, you do not contribute to the health care system either. On the other hand, most Danes abroad have private health insurance, which will cover the cost of vaccination.

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