– Understands that the decision is unpopular – VG

– We were of course prepared that this would create debate, and understand that the decision is unpopular – something I respect. It would probably have been easier not to make this decision. But we think it’s right. We have to stand by that even when it’s windy.

She continues:

– These are difficult questions, and none of us want to be vaccinators.

Monica Mæland says this to VG after the noise about the rapid vaccination of the Storting. Numerous top politicians now say no to the vaccine. In a posts in VG On Monday, 125 municipal chief physicians slammed the priority and asked the government to turn around.

Mæland does not want to turn around, but she understands the frustration:

– Many are impatient, tired and have a job that makes you vulnerable. We have been very clear in prioritizing the elderly and risk groups. And now we have also chosen to use two per mille of the doses that will be set this week to prioritize people in important functions to govern Norway.

She emphasizes that the reason for the decision is a contingency assessment.

– The professional emergency preparedness recommendation from the Ministry of Justice has been that management and leadership should actually have been prioritized earlier, without us following this. Now we believe that it is right to do so.

– Why is this decision made just before the summer holidays?

– It has nothing to do with the holiday, but that the proportion of vaccinated is increasing, and that we get more doses in the future. This is not about someone wanting summer holidays elsewhere, but that we must be able to do our job, says Mæland.

—-–

– FHI is not invited to assess this

FHIs Preben Aavitsland says that they have not recommended vaccinating Storting politicians now.

– Why have you gone against this?

– FHI is not invited to assess this. It is the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness that will take responsibility for seeing the emergency preparedness in total and as a whole, and this is an emergency preparedness professional assessment.

It is not politicians as a professional group, but the Storting as parliament, who are given priority, says Mæland.

– A personal choice

SV leader Audun Lysbakken, SP leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum and FRP leader Sylvi Listhaug thank no to vaccine from the Storting.

– We think it is strange that this offer came now, and that the Storting was not consulted in advance. I understand that other groups in more vulnerable professions react to the government’s decision, writes SV leader Audun Lysbakken in a text message to VG.

When asked what Mæland thinks about politicians boycotting vaccination in the Storting, she answers:

– It is a personal choice that each individual must make for themselves and theirs. So I have great respect for that.

– The decision has been heavily criticized, partly because health professionals and people in the risk groups have not been vaccinated. Why is it right to prioritize politicians now?

– We perceive that most municipalities have come very far down the priority list. Many in the risk group and health professionals have been vaccinated. We have made this assessment now, even though we have been professionally recommended to do this before – but we have not wanted that.

– But health professionals and people in risk groups have not been vaccinated?

– Most healthcare professionals in patient contact have been vaccinated. We have now set 2.4 million doses in Norway, and then we believe that it is justifiable to do this.

—-–

– Selects a very small group

I January stated the Minister of Health and Care Services Bent Høie (H) at “It is not relevant to prioritize the prime minister or members of the government beyond what is the ordinary vaccination queue.”

Høie has not answered VG’s question about what he thinks about this today. The Ministry of Health and Care Services refers to Mæland:

– What has changed since Høie’s statement in January?

– The fact that we have now prioritized the most important groups, and that we are also responsible for ensuring preparedness. We have features we need to make sure are up and running now. It is a risk we believe we do not need to take to the same degree anymore, now that many have been vaccinated. Therefore, we select a very small group with the aim that we will have a robust management of the country in the future, says Mæland.

–