Almost twice as many Norwegians have taken the tick vaccine this year

TickPhoto: Pixabay

More and more people are getting vaccinated against the TBE virus, which is spread by ticks. The FHI advises everyone who travels a lot in forests and fields where the virus is present to consider getting the vaccine.

Figures from the National Vaccination Register (SYSVAK) that the FHI has retrieved for NTB show that 22,494 people have taken a total of 28,335 doses of vaccine against the TBE virus so far this year.

This is almost a doubling from the same period last year, when 13,504 people received a total of 15,428 doses.

The vaccine protects against tick-borne encephalitis, also called the TBE virus, which causes brain and spinal cord infections. The disease affects people differently, but it can cause very serious illness and long-term problems in some cases.

Coastal areas

The vaccine recommendation from the FHI is as follows:

“In Norway, consideration should be given to giving the TBE vaccine to children and adults who travel a lot in forests and fields and who, from experience, are often bitten by ticks along the coast in Vest-Agder, Aust-Agder, Telemark, Vestfold, and Buskerud.”

The risk of infection is highest in these areas.

The pharmacy chain Apotek 1 is noticing increased demand. They state that they have sold twice as many vaccines against ticks so far this year compared to the same period last year.

“We see that more people are concerned about protecting themselves during the tick season,” pharmacist Maren Lima in Apotek 1 wrote in an email to NTB.

Three doses

In Norway, the tick season lasts from April to November, but already in February, active ticks were reported in Southern Norway. Most tick bites are harmless, but in the worst case, they can cause TBE and Lyme disease. There is no vaccine against Lyme disease.

Advisor Yvonne Kerlefsen at the tick center informs NTB that they’re receiving many inquiries about the TBE vaccine. 

She points out that there are three doses in the basic vaccination and that people often forget to take all the doses or take the doses at the wrong time.

“The vaccine can be taken at any time of the year, but it is recommended to start vaccination in the autumn/winter – well before the tick season begins. The vaccine is injected into the upper arm,” the tick center notes in its vaccination recommendations.

Source : © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

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