Norwegian health authorities said Wednesday they are open to giving people aged 80 and above a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, but see no cause for a general recommendation for that age category to get a fourth shot.
Geir Bukholm, assistant director at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, said the agency “believes this can be assessed and chosen by the individual.”
However, the agency urged more people with severely weakened immune systems to take a booster shot of the vaccine.
The agency said the updated assessment was in line with guidelines by the European Infection Control Agency and the European Medicines Agency.
In neighboring Sweden, authorities this month recommended a fourth vaccine dose for people 65 and over and for those living in nursing homes or getting home care, down from an earlier recommendation for people 80 and older. The recommendation also includes fourth shots for those aged 18–64 with moderate to severe immune deficiency.
