The union wants third vaccine dose for health professionals – NRK Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
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– I am very afraid of infecting my patients. It has been a fear throughout the pandemic, says nurse Eskild Hustvedt to NRK.
He follows up cancer patients at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen. There he is also a department shop steward for the Trade Union.
The employees have worked hard to keep the infection away from the cancer ward.
At one point, Hustvedt himself was sent to quarantine because he was in close contact with a corona-infected person.
The day before, he had direct contact with a patient.
– Then I was reasonably stressed. Then I felt my heart rate rise. It was scary. Not on behalf of myself, but on behalf of all the patients I have had contact with in one day.
Fortunately, the corona test was negative and everything went well.
The nurse is fully vaccinated with two doses. But says that he is first in line, if a third dose of vaccine prevents the spread of infection.
– I will take a third dose, if I get. And if the National Institute of Public Health thinks it is necessary.
Want a third dose for healthcare professionals
Around 200,000 employees in the Norwegian health service are organized in the Trade Union. Now the organization says that employees in the health care system should also receive a third dose of vaccine.
– I think it is good if there is an opportunity, says Iren Luther to NRK.
She is the leader of the occupational section health and social in the Trade Union.
– Should health professionals who have patient contact with vulnerable patients be offered a third dose?
– I think they should. It is natural to reason for that. One is to not infect patients. It is natural that they do not get sick themselves.
Among other things, she can find a Swedish study that concludes that the antibodies go down sharply after seven months.
FHI: – Does not have the haste that some other countries have
Several other countries, including Israel, have begun giving a third dose to the population.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) monitors research from other countries, but believes that there is no reason to offer large population groups vaccine supplements yet.
– We are in a situation that is privileged in Norway, says chief physician at the National Institute of Public Health, Sara Viksmoen Watle.
– We have low infection rates, and we have very few hospitalized. There are very few fully vaccinated people who get serious diseases.
– But do you not now risk being on the back foot?
– We do not have the haste that some other countries have. We believe it is important to make a good assessment of both whether there is actually a need, and whether it gives a better effect to give a refresher dose. And whether it is safe.
– But why do we not have that hurry?
– We have very high vaccination coverage. In addition to the fact that we have been very good at limiting the infection, with all the work that has been done in the municipalities. That is why we have low infection rates. And even when we had high infection rates, the proportion of hospitalized people was very low, says Viksmoen Watle.