Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

ERNA SOLBERG

Updated:’Covid certificates’: Norway’s plan for its vaccine passport

Norway will use "Covid-19 certificates", or vaccine passports to ease restrictions for those that have been vaccinated, the Prime Minister announced on Wednesday. Here are the details.

Published: 5 May 2021 17:42 CEST
Updated:'Covid certificates': Norway's plan for its vaccine passport
Norway's preliminary version of the Corona certificate. Photo by Erik Odiin on Unsplash

How will it be used?

PM Erna Solberg revealed that the certificates will be used to exempt people from infection control measures domestically and make travel to and from other countries easier. The government has also submitted a proposal to parliament to amend the Infection Control Act to allow the introduction of a full corona certificate in relation to easing measures. 

READ MORE: When will I be able to travel to and from Norway again

While the government has not decided on the exact details on how the pass will be implemented, Solberg said that they would also use the certificates to accelerate the country’s four-step plan for reopening.

“We want to make a certificate that can securely document who you are, whether you have been vaccinated, recently had a negative test or had coronavirus. We can use that to open up society more and earlier,” the prime minister said.

The government also plans to introduce a scheme whereby corona certificates will be used at the entrance to large events such as concerts and festivals. 

The government is also looking into how mass testing can be used to prevent coronavirus outbreaks at large events.

READ MORE: Norway to trial live concerts with mass Covid testing  

Covid certificates could soon be used for those returning to Norway from a trip abroad, According to Health Minsiter Bent Høie. 

“When we have received new professional advice, we will consider removing entry quarantine completely for those protected with a vaccine or have immunity,” he said. 

The vaccine passes will also be used to allow Norwegians to book domestic tours and cruises.  

When will it be ready?

A preliminary version of the Covid-19 certificate is already ready. You will be able to see your own status for vaccination and test results on helsenorge.no and website is available in English. You will need a form of level 4 security electronic ID, such as BANKID or Commfides to log in and access the certificate.

What the preliminary Covid-19 certificate looks like. It is available in English or Norwegian. Source: helsenorge.no

The first version will not count as proof of immunity according to the prime minister.

“The first version does not provide verifiable proof. It is therefore vulnerable to cheating. Therefore, there will not be an extensive use of this version,” Solberg said.

Norway is hoping to launch it’s Covid-19 certificate in the second half of June, before the EU launches it’s vaccine passport.

The full version will then show vaccination status, negative test results and immunity following Covid-19.

Solberg is hoping to have a version of the certificate easily accessible as a QR code. The vaccine is being designed within the EU’s vaccine passport framework and Norway has been invited to participate in the scheme. 

Prime Minister Erna Solberg has said that the country could allow cross-border travel for vaccinated travellers before the EU’s vaccine passport is ready.

READ MORE: Can I travel to Norway if I’ve been vaccinated 

“If Norway has a certificate in place before that, we will consider opening travel to and from the EU before the European certificate is in place,” Solberg said. 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

COVID-19

Public Health Agency recommends two Covid doses next year for elderly

Sweden's Public Health Agency is recommending that those above the age of 80 should receive two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine a year, once in the spring and once in the autumn, as it shifts towards a longer-term strategy for the virus.

Published: 23 December 2022 10:53 CET
Public Health Agency recommends two Covid doses next year for elderly

In a new recommendation, the agency said that those living in elderly care centres, and those above the age of 80 should from March 1st receive two vaccinations a year, with a six month gap between doses. 

“Elderly people develop a somewhat worse immune defence after vaccination and immunity wanes faster than among young and healthy people,” the agency said. “That means that elderly people have a greater need of booster doses than younger ones. The Swedish Public Health Agency considers, based on the current knowledge, that it will be important even going into the future to have booster doses for the elderly and people in risk groups.” 

READ ALSO: 

People between the ages of 65 and 79 years old and young people with risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes, poor kidney function or high blood pressure, are recommended to take one additional dose per year.

The new vaccination recommendation, which will start to apply from March 1st next year, is only for 2023, Johanna Rubin, the investigator in the agency’s vaccination programme unit, explained. 

She said too much was still unclear about how long protection from vaccination lasted to institute a permanent programme.

“This recommendation applies to 2023. There is not really an abundance of data on how long protection lasts after a booster dose, of course, but this is what we can say for now,” she told the TT newswire. 

It was likely, however, that elderly people would end up being given an annual dose to protect them from any new variants, as has long been the case with influenza.

SHOW COMMENTS