These will be offered a coronavirus vaccine: 

Risk groups

By risk groups we mean people with an increased risk of a severe COVID-19 disease course. These include:

• Residents in nursing homes

• Everyone who is 65 years or older

• People aged 5–64 years with one or more defined diseases / conditions that increase the risk of a severe disease course and death from COVID-19. See the section below for specification of different diseases / conditions and age groups.

Other groups

• Healthcare personnel and other employees in the health and care service.

• People aged 18 years and older plus those born in 2004/2005.

• Children 5-15 years can also be vaccinated if they and their parents wish.

Risk groups

People with the following disease/ conditions are defined as medical risk groups and should complete their primary vaccination series. A booster dose is recommended to people in the 18-64 year age groups within these same risk groups: 

• Organ transplant*
• Immunodeficiency*
• Hematologic (blood) cancer in the last 5 years*
• Other active cancer, ongoing or recently finished treatment for cancer (especially immunosuppressive therapy, radiation therapy to the lungs or chemotherapy)* 
• Neurological or muscular disease with impaired coughing strength or lung function (e.g., ALS and cerebral palsy)*
• Downs Syndrome*
• Chronic kidney disease or significantly impaired renal function
• Chronic liver disease or significantly impaired liver function 
• Immunosuppressive therapy, e.g. with autoimmune diseases
• Diabetes  
• Chronic lung disease, including severe asthma that has required the use of high-dose inhaled steroids or steroid tablets during the last year
• Obesity with body mass index (BMI) of ≥ 35 kg/m² or higher
• Dementia 
• Chronic cardiovascular disease (except high blood pressure)
• Stroke

Other serious and / or chronic diseases may also increase the risk of a severe disease course.

* These diseases/ conditions can give a high risk for a severe disease course and death among younger people. 

A booster dose is recommended for adolescents in the age group 12-17 years with the following diseases/conditions. Please note that this list of underlying diseases is different from the list for adults above:

• Organ transplantation
• Immunodeficiency (for example, congenital immunodeficiency or the use of drugs that cause significant systemic immunosuppression)
• Haematological cancer (e.g. leukaemia, lymphoma) within the last five years
• Other active cancer, ongoing or recently completed (within the last six months) anti-cancer treatment - especially immunosuppressive treatment, radiotherapy to the lungs or chemotherapy
• Neurological diseases or muscle diseases that cause reduced coughing strength or reduced lung function
• Chronic kidney disease with significantly reduced kidney function
• Severe heart disease (children with heart failure, severe pulmonary hypertension, cyanosis, single ventricle disease/"Fontan patients")
• Severe lung disease (e.g. cystic fibrosis, very severe asthma with deterioration requiring emergency admission to hospital within the past year)
• Other severe disease. Vaccination in such cases is assessed individually by a paediatrician.

For more detailed information about diseases/conditions that can give an increased risk for a severe COVID-19 disease course see: 

• Further information about risk groups

Getting the vaccine

The solutions used for appointments vary between municipalities. In some places, drop-in vaccination is available without the need for an appointment. Check your municipality's website for information about the local arrangements.

Rationale for the recommendations to the different groups

• People aged 18 years and older plus those born in 2004/2005 are recommended (should) to be given a primary vaccination series. This is primarily based on the risk of a severe COVID-19 disease course. It is the oldest, and people with certain diseases and conditions who have the greatest risk of a severe disease course and death from COVID-19 disease. Although most young and healthy people recover well from COVID-19, some in this group may also become seriously ill. In addition to protecting those who are vaccinated, vaccination will also help to reduce transmission in society.
• Children aged 5-15 years with severe underlying diseases should be given the primary vaccination series for the coronavirus vaccine. Even though the overall risk for severe COVID-19 disease for them is low, this group is particularly vulnerable and should therefore be vaccinated.

• Everyone from the age of 45 and up, and younger people who belong to the risk groups are recommended (should) also take a booster dose when 20 weeks have passed since dose 2. This is also mainly to reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 disease  in these groups.

• In addition to protecting those who are vaccinated, vaccination has also made a significant contribution to reducing transmission in society. This effect on transmission now appears to be smaller for the omicron variant, while the effect against a severe disease course is still good.

• Children 5-15 years: Are offered (can take) one or two doses of coronavirus vaccine if they and their parents wish. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has assessed that vaccination of children aged 5-15 can have be beneficial, but the benefit is limited since the risk of severe disease course is already very low. Children and adolescents will also be able to receive broad and lasting protection by having COVID-19. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health nevertheless believes that it is appropriate for children in this age group to be offered a vaccine for those who want it. The offer is most relevant for children with chronic diseases, children in contact with vulnerable people, and children who will stay or move to countries with a high risk of infection or poorer access to health services.

• People over the age of 65, people between the ages of 18-64 with an underlying risk of a severe disease course, adolescents aged 12-17 with serious underlying conditions, and pregnant women in the 2nd and 3rd trimester are recommended to take a new booster dose before the autumn and winter season 2022 as these target groups have a higher risk of a severe COVID-19 disease course.

• People in the age group 18-64 with no underlying risk can take a new dose before the autumn/winter season 2022 if they wish. If you are in this group and have followed the vaccination recommendations so far, you will still have good protection against a severe disease course. The benefit of a new booster dose will therefore be limited. In addition, many have relatively recently undergone infection which will also give you better protection against re- infection. All vaccines, including the coronavirus vaccines, have side effects. Most of the side effects after vaccination are mild and temporary, but it is known that the vaccines may, rarely, cause side effects such as heavy menstrual bleeding and inflammation of the heart muscle and pericardium. It is therefore important to assess the benefit of a new dose against the risk of possible side effects from the vaccines.

• Read more about recommendations:

• Vaccination of children and adolescents

For further information about booster doses see: 

• Booster doses

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

• Advice to pregnant and breastfeeding women about coronavirus vaccination

After recovery from COVID-19

• Vaccination after recovery from COVID-19