Vaccination of children in Norway
All children living in Norway are offered vaccines through the Childhood Immunisation Programme.
Illustration: Johnér Bildbyrå AB
Recommended vaccines
The recommended Childhood Immunisation Programme (fhi.no) for children and adolescents in Norway includes vaccines against twelwe different diseases:
- Rotavirus (fhi.no)
- Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis), poliomyelitis, Hib-infection and hepatitis B (fhi.no)
- Pneumococcal disease (fhi.no)
- Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR vaccine)(fhi.no)
- Human papilloma virus (HPV) (fhi.no)
Children in defined risk groups are also offered the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis in infancy. Both doses of vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio are recommended for adults every 10 years.
All of these diseases can cause life-threatening illnesses or result in severe complications.
When to vaccinate
Vaccination usually begins when a child is six weeks old. Since several of the diseases affect younger children the hardest, delays should be avoided.
Booster doses are given when the child has reached school age. The rotavirus vaccine is given orally, while the other vaccines are given by injection.
Mercury is not used as a preservative in any of the vaccines in the Childhood Immunisation Programme.
Not compulsory
Vaccination in Norway is not compulsory.