COVID-19 vaccine – information for the public
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This page provides information about the COVID-19 vaccine, including who should get it and where to receive it.
About the disease COVID-19
COVID-19 can cause anything from mild or no symptoms to serious illness. In rare cases, it may lead to death.
Common symptoms of COVID-19 include respiratory symptoms and more general symptoms such as feeling unwell, fever, and muscle aches.
The most commonly reported symptoms are:
- runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing and sore throat
- Other common symptoms include cough, hoarseness, and fever. Some people may also experience other symptoms, either on their own or together with the ones mentioned above. These may include loss of smell or taste, stomach pain, vomiting, or diarrhea. Children and the elderly may present with atypical symptoms.
The symptoms of COVID-19 are the same as for many other respiratory infections. It is therefore not possible to distinguish COVID-19 from other respiratory infections based on symptoms alone.
Who should get the COVID-19 vaccine?
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) recommends that the following groups receive a booster dose before the autumn-winter season 2025/2026:
- People living in care homes and nursing homes
- People aged 75 and older
- People aged 18–74 who belong to a risk group
- People aged 12–17 with serious underlying medical conditions
- Children aged 6 months – 11 years with serious underlying medical conditions, following individual assessment
Although not included in the NIPH’s recommendations, individuals aged 65–74 who are not in a risk group may still choose to be vaccinated through the Adult Immunisation Programme. Children and adolescents who are covered by the recommendations are also offered the vaccine against coronavirus through the Adult Immunisation Programme.
The following people are recommended to receive the vaccine against coronavirus as part of the Adult Immunisation Programme:
- Residents of care homes and nursing homes
- Everyone aged 75 and older
- People aged 18–74 with one or more of the following conditions:
- Chronic lung disease with reduced lung function, including asthma
- Chronic cardiovascular disease (except well-controlled high blood pressure)
- Diabetes
- Severe chronic liver disease
- Severe chronic kidney disease
- Severe chronic neurological conditions, especially if affecting physical function, lung capacity or coughing ability – such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease or ALS
- Weakened immune system due to illness and/or immunosuppressive treatment (e.g. organ transplant, cancer, autoimmune diseases)
- Obesity with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 kg/m² or higher
- Other serious and/or chronic conditions where COVID-19 poses a significant health risk, following individual assessment by a doctor – for example, people with chromosomal conditions (such as Down syndrome) or genetic disorders.
- Children and adolescents with certain underlying conditions may be at increased risk of serious illness from COVID-19 and are therefore recommended to receive the vaccine. Children aged 6 months to 11 years should be individually assessed by a doctor before vaccination. Conditions that may increase risk include:
- History of organ transplantation
- Immunodeficiency (e.g. congenital immune disorders or use of medication causing significant immunosuppression)
- Haematological cancers (such as leukemia or lymphoma) within the past five years
- Other active cancers, especially those recently treated (within the past six months), particularly if treatment included immunosuppressive therapy, chemotherapy, or lung radiotherapy
- Neurological or muscular conditions that reduce coughing ability or lung function
- Severe chronic liver disease
- Severe chronic kidney disease with significantly reduced kidney function
- Severe heart conditions (e.g. heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, cyanosis, single-ventricle)
- Severe lung disease (e.g. cystic fibrosis, severe asthma with flare-ups that have required emergency hospital admission during the past year)
- Other serious and/or chronic conditions where COVID-19 may pose a significant health risk, based on assessment by a pediatrician – including children with chromosomal conditions (such as Down syndrome) or genetic disorders.
Vaccination of Children Aged 6 Months to 4 Years
NIPH considers that very few children in the 6-month to 4-year age group will need the vaccine against coronavirus. However, some children with serious underlying medical conditions may benefit from vaccination following an individual assessment by a doctor familiar with the child’s health.
Although children in this age group with underlying conditions are not currently overrepresented among those admitted to hospital with COVID-19, they may be more vulnerable to infections in general. For these children, vaccination could reduce the risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19.
The list of underlying conditions that may justify vaccination is the same as for older children and adolescents (as listed above).
People who live with (or are similarly close to) someone who is immunosuppressed. The vaccine’s effect on preventing transmission is relatively short-lived, so other protective measures should still be followed.
Some immunosuppressed individuals may go through periods when they are at greater risk of severe illness. In such cases, timing the vaccination of close contacts may help provide added protection when it is most needed.
Vaccinating healthy children who live with (or are similarly close to) someone who is immunosuppressed may also be considered in certain cases. Whether or not the child should be vaccinated depends on the immunosuppressed person’s risk of developing severe COVID-19.
Recommendations and advice on this page can never replace a consultation with healthcare personnel. Contact your doctor or vaccination clinic for an assessment of your needs.
Why is the COVID-19 vaccine recommended?
The COVID-19 vaccine helps protect against serious illness and death caused by COVID-19. It also provides some protection against infection, but this protection is relatively short-lived. This is because antibody levels decrease over time, and the virus continues to change.
The people who continue to be recommended the vaccine through the Adult Immunisation Programme are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 than others. If you are in a group recommended for vaccination by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, you should get a booster dose every year to maintain the best possible protection.
Where can you get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Your local authority is responsible for offering the COVID-19 vaccine if you are eligible through the Adult Immunisation Programme. You can find information about where to get the vaccine on your municipality´s website. Your general practitioner (GP) may also offer the vaccine or let you know where you can get it. The coronavirus vaccine should be available all year round.
If you are not covered by the Adult Immunisation Programme, you will need a prescription from a doctor and must buy the vaccine at a pharmacy. It can then be administered by your GP, a vaccination clinic, or at some pharmacies.
Immunisation schedule
The vaccine is given as an injection in the upper arm.
Primary immunisation:
- Adults and children aged 5 years and older: one dose
- Children aged 6 months to 4 years: three doses of an age-appropriate vaccine. The second dose is recommended at least 3 weeks after the first, followed by a third dose at least 8 weeks after the second.
Booster dose:
- One dose, regardless of age
- People with severely weakened immune systems may need additional doses.
This should be assessed in consultation with a doctor.
You can receive other vaccines at the same time, such as the vaccine against influenza or the vaccine against pneumococcal disease.
It takes 7 to 14 days after vaccination for the vaccine to take effect. For the best possible protection, you should get vaccinated between October and December. However, vaccination can still be beneficial as long as the coronavirus is circulating.
You can receive the vaccine even if you have recently had COVID-19.
If you are unwell with a fever above 38°C, you should wait until the fever has passed before getting vaccinated.
How often should you get the COVID-19 vaccine?
If you are recommended to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, you should get vaccinated once a year, regardless of whether you have previously had COVID-19 or been vaccinated. The protection from the vaccine decreases over time, mainly because the virus continues to change, but also because antibody levels naturally drop. Receiving the most up-to-date vaccine annually provides the best possible protection.
How much does the COVID-19 vaccine cost?
The cost depends on whether you are eligible through the Adult Immunisation Programme and which municipality you live in.
Adults and children in risk groups can get the vaccine at a reduced price through the Adult Immunisation Programme. The co-payment (including both the vaccine and administration) is NOK 110 if given on its own, or NOK 85 if given at the same time as the influenza and/or pneumococcal vaccine.
If you are not eligible for the Adult Immunisation Programme, the cost of the vaccine itself is over NOK 1,000. In addition, the vaccination provider charges a fee for administration, which varies by location.
If you are entitled to receive the vaccine through the immunisation programme, it is important to go through your municipality´s vaccination service—otherwise you may have to pay more.
Effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine
Most people have some level of protection against COVID-19 following infection and/or vaccination. The effectiveness of a yearly booster dose is therefore measured by comparing the rate of illness in people who have not received a booster with the rate in those who have received one during the same year.
Studies show that the booster dose increases protection against severe COVID-19 by approximately 50% in people aged 65 and older. This means that unvaccinated individuals have nearly twice the risk of developing severe COVID-19 compared to those who receive an annual booster.
Those who become seriously ill are mainly the oldest individuals (aged 75 and over) and people in risk groups. References to studies:
- Interim Estimates of 2024–2025 COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Among Adults Aged ≥18 Years — VISION and IVY Networks, September 2024–January 2025 (cdc.gov)
- Effectiveness of autumn 2023 COVID-19 vaccination and residual protection of prior doses against hospitalisation in England, estimated using a test-negative case-control study (sciencedirect.com)
Side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine
Most side effects from mRNA vaccines occur within 1–2 days after vaccination. They are usually mild or moderate and go away on their own within a few days. Compared to traditional vaccines, mRNA vaccines appear to cause more of these mild reactions. Commonly reported side effects include:
- Pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site
- Fatigue, exhaustion, headache, diarrhoea, muscle aches, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea/vomiting, and swollen lymph nodes
Inflammation of the heart lining (pericarditis) or heart muscle (myocarditis) has been reported as rare side effects of mRNA vaccines. As a precaution, people who developed myocarditis or pericarditis after receiving the vaccine and who also belong to a risk group should discuss further vaccination with their doctor.
The COVID-19 vaccine
The vaccines were first introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2022. Their safety and effectiveness were tested in large clinical trials with more than 30,000 participants before approval. In Norway, the first dose was administered on 27 December 2020. More than 95% of people aged 65 and over have received at least two doses, while the figure for people aged 18–64 is 86%.
The vaccine currently offered through the immunisation programme is Comirnaty, an mRNA vaccine. It contains messenger RNA (mRNA) that instructs muscle cells near the injection site to produce the spike protein, one of the surface proteins found on the coronavirus.
The body’s immune system recognises the spike protein as foreign and activates both antibody-producing cells (B-cells) and immune cells that destroy infected cells.
Because mRNA breaks down quickly, it is enclosed in small fatty particles (lipid nanoparticles) that protect it until it enters the cells. The amount of mRNA in the vaccine is adjusted for different age groups and contains the following doses:
- Children aged 12 and up, and adults: 30 µg mRNA per dose
- Children aged 5 to 11 years: 10 µg mRNA per dose
- Children aged 6 months to 4 years: 3 µg mRNA per dose
The vaccine also contains:
- ((4-hydroxybutyl)azanediyl)bis(hexane-6,1-diyl)bis(2-hexyldecanoate) (ALC-0315)
- 2-[(polyethylene glycol)-2000]-N,N-ditetradecylacetamide (ALC-0159)
- 1,2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC)
- Cholesterol
- Trometamol (Tris)
- Trometamol hydrochloride (Tris HCl)
- Sucrose
- Water for injection