All Norwegians above 18 may be vaccinated against Covid-19 by September
Three new vaccines will need to be approved to make it happen.
“The most important limitation for the tempo of vaccination in Norway in the coming weeks and months is how many vaccines and doses we have available,” says Camilla Stoltenberg, director of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, NIPH.
The most optimistic calculations are based on the approval of three new vaccine producers. This in turn will mean more vaccine deliveries, and thus the ability to vaccinate a larger proportion of people during the second quarter of the year – compared to more careful estimates.
“If we assume that the three vaccines are approved – CureVac, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax – and they are able to deliver enough doses from April to September to vaccinate between 3,5-4 million people, then we will most likely be able to offer the first dose to all those above 18 before the end of July”, Stoltenberg said.
The director of NIPH said that a first dose would then be offered to all those in risk groups and with underlying disesases by mid-May, followed by close to all health personnel before the last week of May. And finally that they believe they will be done vaccinating all those above the age of 18 before mid-September.
According to one survey, 78 per cent of Norwegians wish to get vaccinated against Covid-19. The highest number was found among those over 60 years (88 per cent), and among men (83 per cent).
The main reasons given for wanting to get vaccinated were a wish to contribute to society, contribute to lower infection rates in Norway, protect their loved ones and get their normal everyday lives back.
Norway’s population is just above 5,3 million people.
