The Norwegian government has decided that the vaccine against COVID-19 will be free for the entire population, Minister of Health Bent Høie (H) said on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Høie addressed the Norwegian parliament (Storting).
He informed the MPs about the status of the corona situation in Norway.
He stressed that the government wants the vaccine to be available to the population as soon as possible when it arrives.
“The state will also cover the municipalities ‘and hospitals’ costs related to vaccination,” he said.
Vaccination will be organized as part of the national vaccination program.
A duty to vaccinate
That means, among other things, that the municipalities have a duty to provide services to people who live or stay in the municipality.
The government has received a recommendation from the National Institute of Public Health (FHI), which also believes the vaccine should be free.
The FHI is now in the process of preparing a national plan for vaccination.
“The assignment also involves giving recommendations on priority order. We hope to be able to start offering vaccines as early as 2021, but the time for the beginning of the process will depend on when the authorities approve the drugs,” Høie said.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
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