TV 2 has requested access to all 356 municipalities in Norway in the number of vaccine doses that have been discarded during 2021. In connection with this case, we have asked all municipalities to answer the following questions:
- How many doses of coronary vaccine have been discontinued during 2021?
- Why are these thrown away?
- What type of vaccine have you thrown away (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca)?
– VACCINE: Vaccination with AstraZeneca was stopped last year. Thus, several municipalities had to discard vaccine doses of AstraZeneca. Photo: Aage Aune / TV 2
–
Of 356 municipalities in Norway, 302 municipalities responded, while 54 municipalities did not respond to TV 2’s inquiries. In total, more than 126,600 vaccine doses have been discarded in Norway during 2021.
The figure applies to the vaccine types Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca.
– The figures presented by TV 2 show that wastage in the Norwegian vaccination program is less than one percent of doses sent out, says assistant director Geir Bukholm at the National Institute of Public Health.
– However, we must expect that this number will increase gradually, partly because we are now in a phase where individuals turn to the vaccine centers to get their first, second or third dose, he says.
Expiration date and particles
Through the survey, TV 2 has asked all the municipalities what is the reason why the vaccine doses have been discarded. The most common causes are expiration date, particles in vials, lack of attendance, broken vials and AstraZeneca scrapping.
– At the beginning of the vaccination program, there were too few doses available to satisfy the demand for doses. As access to vaccines has increased, it has been important to maintain the pace of vaccination, says Bukholm.
– Assistant director Geir Bukholm at the National Institute of Public Health. Photo: Goran Jorganovich / TV 2
–
– By sending fewer doses to the municipalities, we could possibly limit the loss of vaccine doses further, but it would probably have been at the expense of the pace of vaccination.
In May, the government decided to remove AstraZeneca from the vaccination program permanently after the occurrence of rare but serious side effects of the vaccine. Due to the scrapping, the municipalities had to discard the remaining doses of AstraZeneca.
– It has been an important goal to ensure that there has been a sufficient number of doses available in the municipalities.
– NIPH has sent out vaccine doses in accordance with the estimated need in the municipalities, but where the municipalities have been asked to provide feedback to downgrade or increase the number of doses that the municipality assumes are needed. IN
Bergen municipality at the top
Bergen municipality has had to discard the most vaccine doses during 2021. The number is 18,738 vaccine doses, of which 13,640 of the doses were discarded due to the expiration date and skepticism of Moderna and cross-vaccination.
– This led to a number of residents in Bergen preferring Pfizer to be fully vaccinated with two equal vaccine doses. We consider this to be the main reasons why we were not allowed to use all the Moderna doses by the expiry date after thawing, says leader of the vaccine project Elisabeth Engelsen in Bergen municipality.
– It has always been a goal for us to throw as few doses as possible, and we have insisted that the doses find an arm that wanted a residual dose. As access to the vaccine improved and vaccine coverage improved, there was not as great a rift in getting a residual dose among the inhabitants.
– THE TEST PLACE: Long queues of people who wanted to test themselves at Festplassen in Bergen. Most young people, with two or fewer doses. Photo: Geir Johnny Huneide / TV 2
–
In 2021, the City of Oslo has issued 873,293 vaccines, but had to throw away 8276 vaccine doses.
– It is a low proportion considering the proportion of population that is protected with coronary vaccine and how many vaccines Oslo municipality received last year. Throughout the vaccine race, there has been great focus on a predictable vaccine race in Oslo municipality, such as people getting the right information about the offer, that the vaccines are set and distributed correctly, says head of the vaccine program Tina Arnesen in Oslo municipality.
– The vaccine centers in Oslo have good routines to ensure that we have as low wastage as possible, which these figures also confirm.
– PANDEMISTILLE: Quiet at Oslo Airport during the corona pandemic. Photo: Frode Sunde / TV 2
–
Bukholm at the National Institute of Public Health believes that the municipalities have done a good job of following up and avoiding waste.
– In the last phase of the vaccination program, we have switched to a pure ordering solution, where the municipalities order doses themselves. We believe that the municipalities throughout the vaccination program have been very good at following up and avoiding wastage, he says.
Skeptical of Moderna – so it turned
Several municipalities have experienced that the inhabitants have initially been very skeptical of the Moderna vaccine. Some could even turn in the door when this vaccine was offered – but then suddenly it turned around.
In December, director Camilla Stoltenberg at the National Institute of Public Health said that she would like Moderna as a refresher dose.
– Modernity was “unpopular” among residents in the past, but we are now experiencing a change in this. Possibly because of Camilla Stoltenberg who went out to the media and said that she preferred Moderna as a booster dose, says Randaberg municipality.
– MODERNA: Director Camilla Stoltenberg at the National Institute of Public Health is taking a booster dose with Moderna. She has previously received two doses of Pfizer. Photo: Truls Aagedal / TV 2
–
Porsgrunn municipality has also experienced that the Moderna vaccine has been unpopular among the inhabitants.
– It turned around in connection with Camilla Stoltenberg speaking Moderna. In the weeks before Christmas, we put about the same number of Moderna and Pfizer doses, says vaccine coordinator Lene Lindflaten in Porsgrunn municipality.
To this, the Director of the National Institute of Public Health, Camilla Stoltenberg, answers the following:
– I truthfully answered a direct question about which type of vaccine I would choose as the third dose. In addition, I was aware that the answer could help to correct possible misconceptions that led many to opt out of Moderna. It was good that the statement could balance the view of the two types of vaccine.
– We are aware that advice from FHI is heard and often followed. It is good, but also a responsibility that we try to manage wisely, she says.
–
