Denmark and Norway back booster dose for vulnerable

Copenhagen: Norway joined neighbouring Denmark in offering people with severe weakened immune systems a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The government said Monday that these people have an increased risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19, and the vaccine has a lower effect on them than on healthy people.

The government estimates the patient groups amount to up to 200,000 people, including patients with immune deficiency diseases, organ transplants, cancer patients with ongoing or recently terminated cancer treatment, among others.

Danish Health Authorities recommended on Monday that people with severe immune deficiency get a third dose of coronavirus vaccine. The Danish Medicines Agency said that some people “may have insufficient effect of vaccination against Covid-19, just as they may have reduced effect of other vaccines.”