Which vaccines do adults need?
Article
|Updated
Some vaccines you take in childhood require booster doses. Some vaccines are also recommended for the elderly because age poses a risk for a severe disease course for some diseases.
Contact your family doctor or travel vaccination clinic to arrange an appointment for vaccination.
Which vaccines do you need?
| I am/ have: | What do I need a vaccine against? | How often? |
| 18 years or older | Diphtheria/ tetanus/ pertussis (whooping cough)/ polio | Every 10 years |
| Measles/mumps/rubella | 1 dose if not been vaccinated/ had the diseases | |
| 65 years or older | Influenza | Every year |
| Pneumococcal disease | Every 6th year | |
| Coronavirus | As recommended | |
| Chronic diseases | Many chronic diseases give increased risk for diseases that can be vaccinated against. For further details, see the table below. | |
| Pregnant | Influenza, coronavirus and whooping cough | 2nd and 3rd trimester |
| Employee in the health service with patient contact | Influenza | Every year |
| Job requirements | Many occupations may have an increased risk for infectious diseases that can be vaccinated against - Occupational vaccination | |
| Travel plans | Travel vaccines | |
Vaccines against chronic diseases
| I have a chronic disease: | Influenza vaccine | Coronavirus vaccine | Pneumococcal vaccine |
| Chronic lung disease | Every year | As recommended | Individual assessment |
| Chronic cardiovascular disease (other than well-regulated high blood pressure), particularly people with severe heart failure, severe heart failure, low cardiac output or pulmonary hypertension |
Every year | As recommended | Individual assessment |
| Diabetes, type 1 and 2 | Every year | As recommended | Individual assessment |
| Chronic liver failure | Every year | As recommended | Individual assessment |
| Chronic renal failure | Every year | As recommended | Individual assessment |
|
Chronic neurological disease or injury, particularly people with reduced lung capacity and/ or coughing strength |
Every year | As recommended | Individual assessment |
| Impaired immune system as a result of organ transplantation, stem cell transplantation, blood cancer, HIV, B-cell deficiency | Every year | As recommended | Every 6th year |
| Impaired immune system as a result of other treatment after disease (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, other cancers) | Individual assessment | ||
| Other diseases after medical assessment by a doctor | With other severe disease after medical assessment | Cochlear implant, spleen deficiency, earlier pneumococcal pneumonia or invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) | |
| Severe obesity | Every year for people with BMI over 40 | As recommended to people with BMI over 35 | - |
| Smoking and harmful use of drugs | - | - | Individual assessment |
Vaccine against seasonal influenza
Vaccination against seasonal influenza is recommended annually for:
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Everyone over the age of 65 years
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Pregnant women in their 2nd and 3rd trimester
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Other people with special risk factors for a severe influenza disease course
Further information:
Vaccine against pneumococcal disease
Vaccine against pneumococcal disease is recommended every 6 years to:
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Everyone over the age of 65 years
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People with special risk factors for a severe pneumococcal disease course
In addition, other vaccines may be recommended for travel, certain occupations and if you belong to different risk groups.
Vaccine against COVID-19
COVID-19 vaccines are offered based on the current recommendations.
Further information:
Vaccine against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and polio
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Adults who have not previously been vaccinated with three doses of vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio should ensure that they receive this (primary vaccination).
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Everyone who has completed primary vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio should receive a booster dose every 10 years.
Vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR vaccine)
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All adults who have not previously been vaccinated, or have had measles, should be vaccinated with at least one dose of the MMR vaccine. There is no need for a booster vaccine.
Vaccines for pregnant women
The NIPH recommends the following vaccines for all pregnant women:
- The whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine is recommended in the 2nd and 3rd trimester, regardless of when they were last vaccinated, and in every pregnancy. The use of a combination vaccine that provides protection against both whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria (dtp vaccine) is recommended.
- Influenza vaccine is recommended in the 2nd and 3rd trimester when the seasonal vaccine becomes available in the autumn. Pregnant women who belong to one of the other risk groups for a severe influenza disease course, or one of the other target groups for vaccination, are also recommended to be vaccinated in the 1st trimester.
- COVID-19 vaccine is recommended in the 2nd and 3rd trimester when the booster vaccine becomes available in the autumn. Pregnant women who belong to one of the other risk groups for severe COVID-19 disease, or one of the other target groups for vaccination, are also recommended to be vaccinated in the 1st trimester.
Do you need a booster dose?
You can check which vaccines you have taken in Norway that are registered for you at Helsenorge:
The service is based on vaccinations registered in the Norwegian Immunisation Registry SYSVAK at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
