PCR test no longer required for people with three vaccine doses
News story | Date: 26/01/2022 | Last updated: 27/01/2022 | Ministry of Health and Care Services
Minister of Health and Care Services Ingvild Kjerkol is no longer requiring people who have received 3 vaccine doses or who have received 2 doses and have recovered from COVID-19 during the past 3 months to take a PCR test to confirm the presence of the virus. This means that when this group of people receive a positive self-test, they do not need to go to a test centre. They are also requested to use their municipality's solution for registering a positive self-test. The reason for the change is the pressure on the municipalities’ test capacity due to the sharp rise in the infection rate.
Information in other languages:
- Arabisk: PCR test no longer required for people with three vaccine doses (26/01/22) PDF
- Dari: PCR test no longer required for people with three vaccine doses (26/01/22) PDF
- Polsk: Osoby, które otrzymały 3 dawki szczepionki, nie będą musiały wykonywać testu PCR (26/01/22) PDF
- Russisk: Трижды вакцинированные будут освобождены от обязанности сдавать ПЦР-тест (26/01/22) PDF
- Somali: Waxa la oggolaanayaa in dadka saddex irbadood ku tallaalan laga dhaafo tijaabada PCR-ta (26/01/22) PDF
- Tigrinja: ሳልሳይ መርፍእ ክታበት ንዝተኸትቡ ካብ መርመራ- PCR ንክጋላገሉ ዕድል ይኽፈት (26/01/22) PDF
- Tyrkisk: Üç doz aşı olanlar PCR testinden muaf tutulacak (26/01/22) PDF
- Urdu: PCR test no longer required for people with three vaccine doses (26/01/22) PDF
‘We asked the Norwegian Directorate of Health and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health to assess the test system on 20 January, with a deadline of today, 21 January.
Based on their responses, it is clear that it is no longer necessary for people who have received 3 vaccine doses or who have received 2 doses and have recovered from COVID-19 during the past 3 months to take a PCR test to confirm the presence of the virus.
Based on the responses from the specialist agencies, I have tasked the Norwegian Directorate of Health and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health with contacting the municipalities as soon as possible and updating the recommendations regarding who should be offered a PCR test to confirm the presence of the virus,’ says Minister of Health and Care Services Ingvild Kjerkol.
Almost 2.5 million people have had their third dose. In addition, there are those who have received 2 doses and who have recovered from COVID-19 during the past 3 months. The two groups constitute a large proportion of the population, and the change will relieve the pressure on the municipalities. This change will not affect the status of these people in their COVID-19 certificate, because they are already considered to be fully vaccinated.
‘It is important to me that we find solutions that lighten the municipalities’ load,’ states Ms Kjerkol.
All people who receive a positive self-test result are asked to register this result in their municipality’s system. This self-registration is important in order for the health authorities to be able to continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation.
So far, 132 municipalities offer such systems, covering a total of 4 million inhabitants. The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities will soon offer a similar solution to municipalities that lack such a system, and the Norwegian Directorate of Health has been tasked with following this up.