The Norwegian government has said it will “lend” all of its 216,000 AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine doses to Sweden and Iceland.

Health minister Bent Hoie said that if the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine is resumed, “we will get back the doses we lend as soon as we request it” and Iceland and Sweden “send back the doses from their first deliveries from AstraZeneca”.

Mr Hoie also said that if the vaccine is taken out of Norway’s vaccination programme, “the doses we have been given can be donated to other countries in collaboration with the EU”.

Norway decided on March 11 to put the AstraZeneca vaccine on hold after reports of rare blood clots in a small number of vaccine recipients.

Mr Hoie said Sweden will borrow 200,000 doses, and Iceland 16,000 doses.

The Norwegian doses have expiration dates in June and July.