Nobel Prize hall to become COVID-19 vaccination venue

Stockholm's Blue Hall, where leading scientists, politicians and royalty gather for the glittering Nobel Prize banquet, will be used to vaccinate the Swedish capital's citizens against COVID-19, a city commissioner said on Wednesday.

The 1,500 square metre hall, which each year hosts Sweden's most sought-after social event, will soon be a temporary venue for Stockholmers to receive their shots. The large space is seen as ideal for administering vaccines, Reuters reported.

"The vaccination process is very demanding. Sports halls and large premises such as the Blue Hall are suitable for effective and infection-proof vaccinations," Stockholm finance chief Anna Konig Jerlmyr said.

Sweden, whose rejection of lockdowns thrust it into the global spotlight, has a death toll from the virus of more than 11,000. Its death rate per capita is several times higher than its Nordic neighbours, but lower than several European countries that opted for lockdowns.