Shingrix vaccine use soars in Norway, but costs and uptake vary by income

In Norway, the Shingrix shingles vaccine, costing roughly 5,000 kroner for the two-dose series, is currently paid for out of pocket, leading to a dramatic increase in overall use but uneven distribution. The Public Health Institute advises adding the vaccine to the adult program for those over 65 to reduce health inequities, yet the government has not adopted the recommendation. Recent registry figures reveal that vaccination now occurs in most of the country's 357 municipalities, but the proportion of vaccinated adults over 50 is nearly twice as high in the richest decile of municipalities compared with the poorest.

Income gaps are also evident within Oslo, where affluent boroughs such as Ullern have vaccination rates more than three times those of low-income areas like Stovner. The surge in demand has occasionally emptied pharmacy stocks, spurred by media coverage of severe cases and possible dementia-related benefits.