Norwegian government talks to religious people about vaccination

This is what chief physician Preben Aavitsland of the Folkehelseinstituttet (FHI) says to the Norwegian newspaper Vårt Land, after being asked about the connection between unvaccinated and coronary heart disease.

Only in specific Christian communities, often with inspiration from churches in the United States, that we see propaganda against vaccination, Aavitsland continues. "It is a pity that the propaganda of such pastors leads to their followers renouncing the possibility of protection against serious coronary heart disease."

Also Muslims will be contacted

Ellen Furuseth, a chief physician in FHI's department for infection control and vaccine, confirms that talks are being held with representatives of religious groups. She highlights the Council for Religious and Life Stance Communities in Norway (STL), the Islamic Council of Norway and the Catholic Church, where the intention has often been to reduce barriers to vaccination.

The latter group is said to be worse at getting vaccinated than others. "We cannot say that, but what we do know is that groups with a background from some countries where Catholicism is widespread have a lower vaccination rate than otherwise", Furuseth says. "It is a somewhat unfortunate mix that is too thin to conclude that it is due to religion."

"What we in FHI know about religious and vaccine scepticism in Norway is a bit random and very anecdotal. I would therefore be cautious about saying something general about these things", the FHI physician concludes.

The Folkehelseinstituttet is an administrative body under the Norwegian Ministry of Health. It is responsible for supervision, research, service and advice in the health sector.