If it turns out that the spread of the virus can be stopped, measures will be relaxed. If this is not possible, preventive measures should be continued.
"We expect to have more information in a few days," said Health Minister Bent Høie at a press conference on Tuesday. Høie says the government has developed a plan on what to do about the UK's more contagious variant of the virus.
If the mutant virus has spread so far beyond its control, it will be necessary to tighten the countermeasures even more.
We'll beat the virus
The health minister says they believe they can deal with the mutant virus but cannot eliminate it.
- An important reason why we believe it is possible is because together we managed to suppress the wave of infection after Christmas. This effort by local residents has reduced the risk that the more contagious virus will spread as quickly as it can, says Høie.
Høie says introducing much stricter entry rules also helped contain the spread.
Before Sunday, January 31, the government will decide which measures will continue to apply in the first ring, that is municipalities, which closed on Saturday and the second ring, that is, municipalities that closed on Sunday.
A total of 25 municipalities currently have very strict countermeasures as a result of the virus mutation outbreak in Nordre Follo in Viken.
The situation in Norway is complicated by delays in vaccination. Bigger costs
Høie also addressed the disappointing news that Norway will receive one million fewer vaccines from the company AstraZeneca than expected. Maybe this could delay the vaccination target in Norway by up to two months .
The Swedish authorities withheld payment to Pfizer after the pharmaceutical company increased the price as six doses can be withdrawn from each ampoule instead of the agreed five.
It's good to get an explanation for this, says Høie, but adds:
- We have no problems with the surcharge, if necessary.
Disappointment
Director Camilla Stoltenberg of the National Institute of Public Health says they are waiting for vaccines and hope to come soon.
- It is disappointing that we did not get the doses that we predicted in Norway and which we basically prepared for distribution. This confirms that there is considerable uncertainty in the production and distribution of vaccines during a pandemic. We still believe that the number of vaccine doses to Norway will increase in the future, says Stoltenberg.
The delay means that Norway cannot vaccinate large sections of the population quickly.
