Covid vaccine Norway 2026: who should get it, what it costs – and why only 48 per cent of over-75s did
This autumn's Covid jab targets the XFG variant and costs NOK 110 in Norway's programme – NOK 85 with the flu jab. FHI wants more over-75s to take it. Here is who should, where to go and what pharmacies charge.
Norway's autumn 2026 Covid-19 vaccine is recommended for everyone aged 75 and over, nursing home residents and children and adults in risk groups, and anyone aged 65 to 74 can have it on request. The jab is updated for the XFG variant and costs NOK 110 at a GP or municipal clinic, or NOK 85 alongside the flu jab. Last season, only 48 per cent of over-75s took it.
- Recommended for: everyone 75 and over, nursing home residents, and children and adults in risk groups. Healthy 65–74-year-olds can opt in.
- Vaccine: Comirnaty XFG from age 12, Spikevax XFG for younger children. Some municipalities are using up last year's LP.8.1 doses.
- Price in the programme: up to NOK 110, or NOK 85 when given with another programme vaccine (Norwegian Directorate of Health guide rates for 2026).
- Outside the programme: a doctor's prescription and the full price for both vaccine and injection.
- Uptake in 2025/26: 48 per cent of over-75s had the Covid jab, against 69 per cent of over-65s who had the flu jab.
- Reminders: sent via Helsenorge in weeks 47, 48 and 49.
Who should get the Covid vaccine in Norway this autumn?
“Covid-19 vaccine is recommended for everyone from 75 and for children and adults in defined risk groups. Everyone aged 65 to 74 can also receive the vaccine through the programme if they wish,” the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) wrote on 20 October 2026. Nothing has changed from last season in who is recommended which vaccine.
The reasoning is set out in FHI's vaccination handbook, last updated on 28 August 2026: serious illness and death occur overwhelmingly among people aged 75 and over and those with underlying conditions.
Who counts as a risk group?
For adults aged 18 to 74, the list includes:
- chronic lung disease with reduced lung function, and asthma
- chronic heart and cardiovascular disease (well-controlled high blood pressure does not count)
- diabetes
- severe chronic liver or kidney disease
- severe chronic neurological disease such as MS, Parkinson's or ALS
- a weakened immune system, for example after an organ transplant or with cancer
- obesity with a BMI of 35 or more
Children and teenagers with serious underlying conditions are also covered. Healthy pregnant women have not been recommended the Covid vaccine since 2025, although FHI says mRNA vaccines can be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Why can 65–74-year-olds still get it?
FHI no longer recommends the jab for healthy people under 75. But the right to a vaccine follows the regulations for the national programme, and those were not changed. So anyone aged 65 to 74 is still entitled to it through the adult vaccination programme, according to FHI's Q&A for health workers (20 August 2026).
Which vaccine will I get – XFG or LP.8.1?
This season's vaccine targets XFG, a member of the Omicron JN.1 family. The European Commission has approved Comirnaty XFG, which is used for everyone aged 12 and over, FHI told municipalities in information letter 2/26 (27 August 2026). Children from six months to 11 years get Spikevax XFG.
Municipalities with leftover LP.8.1 stock may keep using it, and FHI says it will still give good protection against severe illness. People who cannot take an mRNA vaccine may be offered the protein-based Bimervax, though only a limited number of doses is available.
Is it free – and what does a pharmacy charge?
It is not free. Each municipality sets its own fee, but the Norwegian Directorate of Health recommends a maximum of NOK 110 for the Covid jab in the second half of 2026, or NOK 85 when it is given with another programme vaccine. The flu jab is set at NOK 308. Nursing home residents pay nothing extra, as vaccines are covered by their care fee.
Oslo municipality follows these rates. Flu and Covid jabs at the same appointment cost NOK 393 in total; on separate visits, NOK 418.
Buying the vaccine at a pharmacy
There is no fixed pharmacy price. If you fall outside the target groups, you need a prescription from a doctor and pay the full cost of the vaccine and the injection. FHI notes that only some pharmacies may stock it. The Vitusapotek chain charges NOK 220 for administering the jab, with the vaccine and prescription on top.
One trap for over-75s: if you go to a pharmacy or clinic that has no agreement with your municipality, the municipal rate does not apply and you pay full price, even though you are eligible, the Directorate of Health says.
Can I have the flu and Covid jabs at the same time?
Yes. None of the programme vaccines is a live vaccine, so they can be given on the same day or at any interval. If you also have the pneumococcal vaccine, it and the Covid jab go in separate arms.
The exception is nursing home residents receiving the adjuvanted flu vaccine Fluad, where FHI advises at least a week between the two.
FHI is shipping flu vaccine to municipalities from week 43 to week 46, while Covid vaccine is sent out continuously, so many municipalities already have it. Check which week the flu vaccine reaches your county if you want both in one visit.
Why does 48 per cent matter?
In the 2025/26 season, 69 per cent of over-65s had the flu jab. Covid uptake was “considerably lower, at 48 per cent among people from 75”, FHI says – meaning more than half of the highest-risk group went without a booster.
“We have well-founded recommendations, but vaccines only work when they are used,” says Kjersti Rydland, head of FHI's adult vaccination programme. “Many people are not aware that they are recommended a vaccine.”
The vaccine does not stop every infection. Among over-65s, a booster is 40–60 per cent effective against severe illness three months on, while protection against infection and mild symptoms is around 20–30 per cent, according to FHI's handbook. Most side effects are mild, appear after one or two days and pass within a few days; myocarditis and pericarditis are rare.
Where to get vaccinated: a checklist
- Check your municipality's website for where to go and which GPs, pharmacies or clinics it has agreements with.
- Contact your GP. In Oslo, GPs offer the flu, Covid and pneumococcal vaccines.
- Book flu and Covid together if you can – it is cheaper and saves a trip.
- If you use a pharmacy, ask whether it has an agreement with the municipality before booking. Pharmacies do not vaccinate children under 12.
- Log in to Helsenorge to see which vaccines are already registered to you.
What happens next?
If you are 65 or over and have not had the flu or Covid jab, you will get a reminder on Helsenorge. FHI is sending them in weeks 47, 48 and 49 – between 16 November and 6 December – in the same county order as the flu vaccine deliveries. FHI's public information campaign has also been pushed back because of the delayed flu vaccine.
The flu season usually starts in December, and the flu jab protects from one to two weeks after it is given. Getting ready for the dark months? Read our vitamin D advice for winter, or browse more health and news stories.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for the Covid vaccine in Norway in autumn 2026?
Everyone aged 75 and over, nursing home residents and children and adults in risk groups are recommended it. Anyone aged 65 to 74 can also have it through the programme on request.
Is the Covid vaccine free in Norway?
No. The Directorate of Health recommends a fee of up to NOK 110, or NOK 85 alongside another programme vaccine, but municipalities set their own prices. Nursing home residents pay nothing extra.
Can I get the flu and Covid vaccines together?
Yes, they can be given on the same day. The exception is nursing home residents receiving Fluad, who should wait at least a week between them.
How much does a Covid jab cost at a Norwegian pharmacy?
There is no fixed price. Outside the programme you need a doctor's prescription and pay for the vaccine, the prescription and the injection; Vitusapotek charges NOK 220 for the injection alone.
I had Covid recently – should I still get vaccinated?
A recent infection is no reason to skip it; FHI says protection from infection starts to wane after three to four months. If you have a fever above 38 °C, wait until it has passed.
