The government is introducing new national infection control measures. - Stay at home, socialize as little as possible - sums up Erna Solberg (H).
These are the restrictions that apply now
Recommendations for everyone nationwide:
Recommendation that everyone stay home as often as possible in the coming weeks and limit social contact with other people.- In private houses, gardens or cottages, there should be no more than five guests in addition to the household. If all guests are from the same household, there may be more than one guest. Two families can meet, even if they have many children.
- The restriction that there should be no more than five guests does not apply to pre-school groups or primary schools.
- Adolescents and adults who have been with friends and in other situations where there is no one meter away should keep a distance of two meters from those at risk.
- In addition to the recommendations, there is a new rule for how many people can be at private meetings and events, see country-wide rules.
Traveling
- Avoid unnecessary domestic travel.
- Business trips considered necessary and trips to recreational facilities that can be carried out without contact with others are excluded from the restrictions.
Schools and education
All universities, colleges and vocational colleges need to assess whether they can reduce teaching and other activities that contribute to increased mobility in the coming period, including public transport.- Secondary schools need to be prepared for the fact that the level of restrictions may turn red if the infection continues to worsen.
Private meetings and events
- Limit up to 20 people at private gatherings in public places and in rented premises
- 50 people at a closed event with no permanent seats.
- Indoors, up to 200 people can attend events where everyone is seated.
- The change will take effect at midnight on the night before Monday, November 9.
. Nightlife
- Bars close at midnight.
- Restaurants with an alcohol license are not allowed to admit new guests after. 22.00.
- The change will take effect at midnight on the night before Saturday, November 7.
Post-travel quarantine
Business travelers who have stayed in particularly infected areas in the last 10 days prior to their arrival in Norway can no longer use the test program every three days. Consequently, the main principle of an entry quarantine will generally apply to workers in these areas.- Employees who are quarantined must be tested every three days and placed in private rooms for the first ten days in the country. The employer must keep them distant from others while the employee is in quarantine during their free time. The exception no longer provides for an exemption from the entry quarantine during free time.
- Red country travelers must provide a COVID-19 test negative certificate upon arrival in Norway. The test must be completed less than 72 hours prior to entry. If the person does not provide such a test, entry may be refused. This will be done from midnight until Monday, November 9.
People exempt from the test requirement
- This requirement does not apply to Norwegians, persons resident in Norway, or persons in transit.
- Does not apply to people who regularly come to Norway from Sweden and Finland to work.
- It applies to medical personnel who travel to Norway and stay outside Norway for more than seven days.
- Staff performing critical social functions may be dismissed when necessary to avoid threats to life and health.
- Persons who come to Norway must be permanently resident in the country or the employer must provide a guarantee of a suitable place of residence upon arrival in Norway. People, including tourists and guests who do not have their own place of residence or an employer or client in Norway, must stay in quarantine hotels and undergo testing during the quarantine period. This also applies to family members visiting relatives in Norway.
Change proposals for regions with high infection rates
The government adds several measures that municipalities in residential and working regions with high infection pressure should consider introducing.
- Suspension of activity in amateur sports for adults
- Cessation of amateur sports for children and adolescents under 20 years of age
- Additional restrictions for restaurants, or closes at 22 PM to reduce the number of visitors in the evening
- Further restrictions on the size of various events
- Recommendation for the use of face masks in taxis when recommended on public transport
- Red level in high schools. Secondary schools should prepare for the red level
- Distance of two meters to indoor physical activity
- Mandatory home office
- Stronger recommendation to avoid public transport
- Close or limit activities that have a high potential for spreading infection, such as swimming pools, gyms, sports halls, bingo halls, museums, libraries, party venues with no fixed seats, and other public places where many people meet indoors
. Work in progress:
In addition to the measures put forward, the government is also working on the following:
- Investigate whether a national test should be recommended or introduced at national level before workers go to work in nursing homes and the use of face masks in such places.
- Update professional advice on caring for vulnerable groups in health and care. In addition, guidelines and restrictive materials will be prepared to provide essential services to consumers living at home and their relatives.
- The Norwegian Directorate of Health is to revise the infection control guidelines for public transport and introduce stricter measures. This also applies to school buses.
Strong growth of infection
Recently, there has been a significant increase in the spread of infection. At the beginning of August, there were 300 new infections a week. The number of cases has increased significantly since then, and 3000 new infections were registered in the last week of October. We had over 6000 more infections in Norway in the last three weeks. The curve gets steeper week by week.
– If this development continues, it will create serious challenges for health services, as is happening in individual countries in Europe. That's why we introduce further restrictions, which are adapted to the infection situation we are currently in. It is particularly important to target restrictions to limit social contacts and travel to and from abroad, says Minister of Health and Care Bent Høie.
