- You will continue to have difficulty managing this

Increase speed: The armed forces will help municipalities put more vaccine shots into place faster. On Monday, the municipality of Fredrikstad received the assistance, as the first in a row. Here, Kirsti Nelvik Antonsen receives the number three vaccine dose set by Tuva Enstad. Photo: Gisle Oddstad/VG

And the government decided that the third dose of the Corona vaccine would be provided to everyone over the age of 18 before the end of February. Municipalities are now working hard to figure out how to make this happen.

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A message came Sunday evening: Everyone over the age of 18 will have a booster shot by the end of February next year, The government decided.

For the municipalities, which bear the logistical responsibility for vaccination themselves, this came as a small surprise.

– There was a lot of gunpowder, I can confirm it, says Lillestrom municipality vaccine coordinator, La Gla-Lesgen, to VG by phone.

We have a meeting with the minister this afternoon to get more details. But she says it will be difficult to manage.

Hard Life Vaccines

Lillstrom is not alone. Several municipalities who spoke to VG on Monday morning say the same thing: it is too early to calculate a vaccination strategy for the 18-45 age group. They are making it now.

– We are now vaccinating those over the age of 45 in difficult life, and this also came this weekend. Then we should use the day to find out so we can respond to government vaccination targets, Asker municipal communications director, Vibeki Lindeberg-Sand, says to VG by phone.

Previously, the goal was to offer the third dose of the vaccine to everyone over the age of 45 By the second week of January.

The municipality of Stavanger says it is still sticking to the old guidelines, because it “has not yet received official information”.

– We only read about this in the media, says the Director of Health and Welfare in the municipality of Stavanger, Eli Karen Voss, to VG in an email.

– We begin to plan in detail about this when we receive an official letter about the vaccination of those between the ages of 18 and 45, she continues.

Municipalities will meet with the Minister at 4pm to talk about the details of the new vaccination target, which VG has been notified of.

Under pressure: Health South-East health trusts are struggling to deal with patient stress. Here, an intensive care patient for corona patients is transferred from one hospital to another to relieve the ward. The photo was taken on December 9. Photo: Helge Mikalsen / VG

– It will improve protection

The reason the government is speeding up now is that research so far indicates that the third dose is important in combating the infectious omicron variant.

Based on current knowledge, it is clear that a booster dose will improve protection against infection and thus reduce the chance of further infection, particularly with the delta variant, but also with the omicron variant, the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) writes in a Assess 17. December.

The National Institute of Public Health recommends:

People aged 18-44 years with underlying diseases and conditions with a moderately increased risk of developing the severe course of covid-19 (those who belong to priority group 7 in the original priority order) Must Get vaccinated with a booster dose at least 20 weeks after the last dose in the initial series. This also includes pregnant women in their second and third trimesters, and in the first trimester if they have other additional risks.
Others in the age group 18-44 years may be Vaccination if they wish. The interval between the last dose in the initial series and the activation dose should not be less than 20 weeks. A longer interval between doses can give a better effect and should be included in the assessment of the refreshing dose interval for young and healthy people. Older adults in this age group and those with occupational or other increased exposure to infection are encouraged to agree to a booster vaccination.

The recommendation can be implemented as soon as municipalities have capacity, as long as the minimum recommended time period of 20 weeks is adhered to.

source: FHI

Mass vaccinations: In the multi-purpose hall in Hammerfest, hundreds can take a corona vaccine every day. Photo: Gisle Oddstad/VG

You can get help from the armed forces

Both Armed Forces and Pharmacies You must be prepared to assist with the vaccination. Until now 17 municipalities have asked for help from the armed forces.

– We may need help, but it’s too early to say now, says the vaccine coordinator at Lillestrøm Lyseggen.

The government has He previously admitted that rolling out the third dose of the vaccine has been slow. By the end of Week 50, for example, 360,000 fewer vaccine doses had been identified than planned.

Big change after omicron

Are the challenges they face first and foremost about having enough weapons to stick with, or having enough health workers?

– I do not know. We had 4,000 free hours this fall, but we saw a noticeable change after the Omicron. Now people are coming, so to speak, says Lyseggen.

Assistant Director of Health Espen Rostrop Nakstad briefed VG on the epidemiological situation on Monday morning. Watch the clip here:

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