– Is there anyone in here who takes a vaccine against whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus and polio? That’s what infectious disease specialist Gunnar Hasle asks when he opens the door to one of the patient rooms at the Travel Clinic in Oslo. Chief infectious disease specialist Gunnar Hasle has busy summer days. Photo: Ismail Burak Akkan / news It is recommended to top up that vaccine within ten years of the previous vaccine. – I guess I haven’t really taken it in nine years, says nurse at the clinic Kristine Rustad cautiously. – Then I can pull one up for you, says Gunnar Hasle. Many people come to their clinic who need vaccines before they travel, and many also choose to fill up on the whooping cough vaccine. Want a reminder Until the start of June, 2102 were infected with the disease this year. And not since 2012 have so many people been diagnosed with whooping cough in Norway. There are several local outbreaks around the country, including in Vestfold, Bergen and Bærum. There will be a reminder in Digipost about, among other things, pap smears and mammography, but today there is no public notification or reminder to take the pertussis vaccine. – It is very difficult to keep track of which vaccines you have taken and when, and when you should take new ones, says head of the Norwegian Association for General Medicine Marte Kvittum Tangen. Head of the Norwegian Association for General Medicine, Marte Kvittum Tangen, is calling for a vaccine program for adults. Photo: Thomas Eckhoff / The Norwegian Medical Association And only one in four over the age of 26 has taken a top-up dose, according to SYSVAK, which is a national register for vaccination. – I am absolutely certain that if we had put this into a system and ensured that all residents received a reminder of when they should take the various vaccines, then far more people would take the vaccine, says Kvittum Tangen. The health authorities are working on the case The Ministry of Health and Care informs news that they are working to establish an adult vaccination programme, and have given several research assignments to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) and the Directorate of Health in this regard. – The purpose of a vaccination program for adults is to provide a vaccine offer that treats people equally, regardless of background and life situation, says State Secretary Karl Kristian Bekeng from the Labor Party State Secretary Karl Kristian Bekeng (Ap). Photo: Truls Alnes Antonsen / news The program that the government is working on will build on the two existing ones for influenza and corona vaccination. The ministry is basing it on a recommendation from FHI from 2018. – Among other things, to continue the arrangement whereby the municipalities are responsible for providing offers to the residents. Through the pandemic, we have gained more experience with vaccination offers for adults, and we will use these experiences in our further work, says Bekeng to news. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health says that a solution for notification of refills of recommended vaccines is something they also want. And that work is being done on possible solutions. Children are vaccinated Children are vaccinated against whooping cough. From 2 May, all pregnant women have also been offered vaccination against the disease in the 24th week of pregnancy, according to FHI. The figures from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in June show that most people diagnosed with the disease are aged between seven and 14. But it is important that adults are vaccinated, says the head of the Norwegian Association for General Medicine – To stop the spread of infection, it is important that the largest possible proportion of the population is vaccinated, says Marte Kvittum Tangen. Birgitte Karlsen is newly vaccinated and ready for a holiday with her family. Photo: Ismail Burak Akkan / news Back at the Travel Clinic in Oslo, Birgitte Karlsen and her family come out of one of the rooms. She and her family have, among other things, been vaccinated against whooping cough before they go to Thailand. But if she wasn’t going on a trip, she probably wouldn’t have taken it. – I hadn’t thought about it before it was recommended now, she says. Nurse at the clinic, Kristine Rustad, receives a new dose of the vaccine when news is visiting. She says that many of the patients don’t know they need it, but are grateful to be reminded of it. Nurse Kristine Rustad gets her pertussis vaccine refilled. Photo: Ismail Burak Akkan / news Published 01.07.2024, at 05.33
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FHI and the medical association will notify people to take a new dose of whooping cough vaccine – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
