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The committee, which has been appointed by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), believes, however, that priorities should depend on what the pandemic looks like when the vaccine arrives.
It appears from a press release Tuesday night.
Old and sick
The expert committee operates with four different scenarios. The first describes a situation in which the authorities largely control the spread of the infection. So people at risk, the elderly and the sick should be first in line. The same applies if there are outbreaks in clusters and when there is only partial control.
If, on the other hand, the scenario is about a generalized infection where there is no control, health workers should be vaccinated first, the committee recommends. Then come the vulnerable and people in critical social roles.
The recommendations are based both on a set of values, such as equality and well-being, and on five ranked goals, where reducing the risk of death and serious illness are the first two.
Equal treatment
– The most important thing, in my view, is that what should count is equality and equal treatment, not social status. And there is the risk of death and serious illness, which should be the guiding principle, committee member Reidun Førde tells NRK.
The committee also advocates for geographic prioritization since infection pressure has been higher in some regions than others.
– Areas with high infection pressure are more exposed to an overloaded health service, infection control measures are the strictest and most costly in those areas, and a vaccine will be most useful where the infection is greatest, the report states.
The government decides
It is the government that makes the final decision on the prioritization of vaccine doses. This should be ready by December 1st.
For NRK, leader Lill Sverresdatter Larsen from the Norwegian Nurses Association says she mostly agrees with prioritization. At the same time, he points out that health personnel have priority during routine flu vaccinations, to prevent further infection in the health service.
– In that sense, this is a demotion, says Larsen.
