The government will vaccinate young people earlier and give more vaccines to municipalities in Eastern Norway with persistently high infection pressure.
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– The vaccines are one of our most important weapons in the fight against the virus, says Prime Minister Erna Solberg before she presents changes in the vaccine program at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
These are the most important news from the press conference:
- Young people should be offered a vaccine earlier. The age group 18-24 years and the age group 40-44 years must be vaccinated at the same time. After them, the age group 25-39 will be offered a vaccine.
- Geographical redistribution of vaccines: 24 municipalities in Eastern Norway, which have had a higher infection pressure over time, will receive 60 to 80 per cent more vaccines.
- The government drops the AstraZeneca vaccine completely, while the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is still on hold.
- The Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be offered as a voluntary vaccine.
- No new occupational groups will be given priority in the vaccine queue.
Young people get offers earlier
At the end of last week, infection control director Geir Bukholm told VG that FHIs tall viser at it pays to mix – that is, to vaccinate both middle-aged people who are prone to illness and younger people at the same time, as they have landed in Denmark.
The age groups 18-24 years and 40-44 years are offered a vaccine at the same time. Then the age group 25-39 years will be offered the vaccine last.
– The government is lifting the young people forward in the vaccine queue because the spread is highest and many young people have been hit hard by the measures, says Solberg.
Everyone over the age of 18 will probably have been offered a vaccine before school starts after the summer holidays.
Geographical redistribution
NIPH recommends that 24 municipalities should receive 80 per cent more doses – but the government is in favor of these municipalities receiving 60 per cent more.
The municipalities that receive several doses are: Oslo, Sarpsborg, Fredrikstad, Moss, Lørenskog, Ullensaker, Rælingen, Lillestrøm, Enebakk, Gjerdrum, Drammen, Bærum, Nannestad, Nordre Follo, Nittedal, Lier, Eidsvold, Råde Asker, Vestby, Halden, Indre Østfold, Frogn, Ås.
The proposal for NIPH means that 319 municipalities will receive about 35 percent fewer doses than the population key indicates, for up to 7 weeks. 13 municipalities receive no change.
Solberg emphasizes that there have been difficult trade-offs for the government.
– The whole of Norway can open up earlier if we do it this way, says Solberg.
AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson
The AstraZeneca vaccine will be permanently removed from the Norwegian vaccination program, while the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will still be suspended.
– The government has considered whether people can take the vaccines voluntarily. The government concluded that only the Johnson & Johnson vaccine can be offered voluntarily outside the vaccine program, says Solberg.
But there are several things that need to be put in place before you can voluntarily take the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The vaccine will be free, but those who want to take the vaccine will have to talk to their GP first.
No occupational groups are given priority
NIPH does not recommend prioritizing vaccination of people in certain occupational groups or socially critical functions earlier in the queue.
This means that, for example, teachers and kindergarten staff will not be given priority in the vaccine queue.
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