- The coronavirus pandemic no longer poses a serious health threat to most of us. The omicron virus causes much less serious disease and we are well protected by vaccines. Therefore, we are removing almost all infection control measures such as distance, mask and isolation requirements. We can return to normal everyday life, says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

The decision is based on the professional recommendations of the National Institute of Public Health and the Norwegian Directorate of Health. Both institutions believe that measures can be eased. Additionally, the National Institute of Public Health stresses that it is justified from an infection control point of view.

The infection is expected to increase as a result of the repeal of the regulations and recommendations. Many will be infected and sickness absence can be high. Hospital admissions are likely to increase as well, but patients spend less time in hospital and require less intensive care. The FHI estimates that hospital admissions will not exceed 1000 simultaneous admissions. Hospitals can handle it.

- Many will be infected in the coming weeks and we need to prepare for it. But we are able to cope with the increase in infection. Even if we remove the legal requirements, it is still important to follow general infection control recommendations. If there's one thing we've all become good at during the pandemic, it's infection control. We have to go further, together with common sense, says the Minister of Health and Welfare Kjerkol.

The government removed many infection control measures on February 1. Here are some of the most important changes as of Saturday, February 12 at 10am:

  • The requirements and recommendations for keeping a distance of one meter are no longer valid.
  • The requirements for the use of face masks have been removed.
  • It is recommended to test only adults, who have symptoms.
  • The isolation requirements are abolished and replaced by the recommendation that infected adults they stayed home for four days. This recommendation is under constant review and is expected to change within a few weeks.
  • Preschool children and students are advised to stay home when they are sick, but can go to school kindergartens and schools, as long as they have been fever-free for 24 hours. Children and students do not need to get tested, even if they have symptoms.
  • The remaining entry requirements regarding the obligation to register and pass the pre-arrival test are abolished.

Maintains readiness and monitoring  

While most of the measures have been removed, the pandemic is not over yet. The winter tide is underway and new waves and virus variants may come. That's why the government is working on a new long-term strategy and contingency plan to deal with COVID-19. The revised strategy will be presented in spring 2022.

- The main goal of the 'live with' strategy is that we are able to live with COVID-19 in a way that would provide the least possible burden on individuals and society as a whole, says Støre.

In the future, we must be well prepared to deal with possible epidemics and new virus variants. A framework of packages with infection control measures tailored to different situations and levels of measures must contribute to greater predictability and must be usable for both aggravation and relief. We have to be prepared for what we hope will not happen - says Kjerkol.

We are still testing before and after arriving in Svalbard

Svalbard has limited health care and a more crisis-prone situation than on the mainland. Therefore, during the pandemic, some special measures were applied compared to the regulations on the mainland. The government is now revoking the order requiring coastal cruise ships with passengers to return to their permanent or home port in the event of infection on board. For the time being, pre- and post-arrival testing requirements will be maintained, as will a ban on international charter flights. More assessments are needed in these areas. Accordingly, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has commissioned the Norwegian Directorate of Health and the National Institute of Public Health to evaluate this on an ongoing basis, and regulatory changes are expected within two weeks.

Pandemic Is No Longer "A Serious Outbreak Of Infectious Disease" 

Based on professional recommendations from the Norwegian Health Directorate and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, the government has decided that the Covid-19 outbreak is no longer defined as a "major outbreak of a generally dangerous infectious disease" under the Communicable Diseases Act. This means that all measures permitted by the Infection Control Act § 4-1, second paragraph, are revoked.

Covid-19 is still defined as a generally dangerous infectious disease. This means that municipalities have the option to implement local measures if needed.

Here are the recommendations that apply now. General advice for the population.

  • Practice good hand and throat hygiene
  • Follow the Covid-19 immunization program
  • Check yourself for symptoms. Preschool and school children are excluded. There is no longer any need to self-check if you have no symptoms, even if you have close contacts who are infected.
  • If you feel sick, if you develop new respiratory symptoms, stay home. You should stay home until you are in good shape and have a fever for 24 hours. Mild residual symptoms such as runny nose, snoring, hoarseness, and coughing are fine.
  • If you are positive for the coronavirus, you must stay at home for four days after the onset of symptoms, or from the day you pass the test for asymptomatic people. Children of preschool and school age are exempt from testing, but in case of illness it is recommended to stay at home. They can go to school and kindergarten when they have no fever for 24 hours.
  • See your doctor if you are concerned about your own or your baby's health

Advice for risk groups and the unvaccinated

  • Persons at risk of severe disease and unvaccinated adults must assess their own risk of infection and their own risk of severely developing Covid-19 disease and their need to communicate with others.
  • Staying away from large gatherings or using face masks may be considered during periods of high infection. However, it is important not to isolate yourself and continue with any social contacts.
  • People at risk are generally well protected against serious illness if they follow immunization recommendations, so they can live like everyone else and follow the same infection control recommendations as others.
  • People at high risk of serious illness are advised to consult their own doctor about the risks and the need for protection during times of high infection levels. Read more about the risk groups on the FHI website:

Distance and social contact

  • Keep your distance from others if you have new respiratory symptoms; especially for people at risk.
  • In the event of childbirth and a serious illness, hospitals and municipal institutions should make an appointment, also for relatives and comrades who tested positive for the coronavirus.

Mask

  • The regulated requirements for face masks are waived.
  • It is recommended to use the face mask in close contact with people at risk if you have cold / respiratory symptoms.
  • At-risk and unvaccinated people are advised to wear a face mask during periods of high infection levels if it is difficult to distance yourself from others.

Testing

  • Testing for Covid-19 in newly emerging respiratory symptoms in adults is recommended. It is not recommended to test asymptomatic people. Children with symptoms no longer need to be tested.
  • If the home self test is positive, the person should register it with their municipal infection tracking system. A positive self-test is not logged on helsenorge.no and is not visible in the covid certificate.
  • A positive self-test should be confirmed with a test station test for people who have not been fully vaccinated, i.e. do not have a refreshing dose. For people who received a booster dose or were vaccinated with a base vaccine and then underwent COVID-19 within the last 3 months, a confirmatory study is not required.
  • Most people will test positive at the beginning of their symptoms. In some cases, it may take a little longer after an infected person shows symptoms until the self-test shows that they are infected. In case of persistent symptoms and negative self-test, it is recommended to perform a new test after 2-3 days.

Insulation

  • Regulated isolation requirements are repealed and replaced by a recommendation that adults confirmed to be infected with Covid-19 remain at home for 4 days after onset of symptoms, or at least until one day without developing a fever.
  • If for operational reasons several infected people must meet at work, there is a separate advice from an infection control specialist about how to do this. See the FHI website.
  • The 4-day stay at home recommendation does not apply to preschool children and students who are advised to stay home only in case of illness.

Infection tracking

  • It is no longer recommended that people infected with the coronavirus inform other loved ones.
  • Keeping track of municipal infections can be important in certain situations, for example as an aid in the event of an outbreak in municipal institutions.

Quarantine

  • It was lifted on February 1, against the test regime.

Schools, kindergartens and community centers

  • The requirement to act in terms of infection in the covid-19 regulations is repealed, and thus the traffic light model.
  • Normal operation in accordance with the infection control recommendations for the population is recommended.
  • There will still be a requirement for infection control in schools and kindergartens, by health regulations in kindergartens and schools etc. which stipulate that economic activities should be planned to be carried out and shut down to prevent infectious diseases. Specific advice for COVID-19 related preschools and schools will continue to be available in the FHI Coronavirus Guide.
  • Employers are advised to facilitate working conditions in educational institutions so that risk groups have the necessary flexibility in everyday life.
  • Advice for Workplaces and Companies (FHI) will cover infection control advice for workers. Detailed advice on infection control in kindergartens and schools is included in the FHI Coronavirus Guide. In the section TIPS for infection control in schools and kindergartens.
  • The traffic light model continues as an emergency preparedness guide. This model sets out recommended measures to limit contact when the contagion situation in the municipality makes it necessary and proportionate to the infection control measures in schools and kindergartens. The municipality may decide to use the traffic light model if the conditions laid down in the infection control act are met.

Universities, colleges and vocational schools

  • The requirement for safe infection control operation in covid-19 is waived.
  • However, there are still requirements for infection control - reliable actions in accordance with environmental health regulations that apply to all enterprises. These regulations define the requirements for the planned operation and decommissioning of the enterprise for the prevention of infectious diseases.
  • Normal operation in accordance with the infection control recommendations for the population is recommended.
  • Employers are advised to facilitate working conditions in educational institutions for risk groups.

Professional life

  • Normal operation in accordance with the infection control recommendations for the population is recommended.
  • Employers must consider the need to reduce infection themselves and provide guidance to their employees. It is important to create working conditions for risk groups in workplaces.

Events and meetings

  • The regulated infection compliance requirements in the Covid-19 legislation are repealed. This means that there are no longer any special requirements for organizers related to the size of events / meetings or requirements to facilitate distance.
  • However, there are still infection control requirements under environmental health legislation that apply to all businesses. These regulations indicate that business should be planned so that it can be run and closed in order to prevent infectious diseases.
  • Normal operation in accordance with the infection control recommendations for the population is recommended.

Restaurants and other businesses

  • The legal requirements for infection control in the Covid-19 law for restaurants and other businesses are waived.
  • No restrictions on what activities can be done remotely.
  • Normal operation in accordance with the infection control recommendations for the population is recommended.
  • However, there are still requirements for proper operation that is professionally valid for all companies, in line with environmental legislation. The company's operations should be planned so that it can be run and shut down to prevent infectious diseases.

Entry to Norway

  • The regulated requirements for negative pre-entry tests and entry registration requirements are waived.
  • Regulated testing requirements prior to departure to Svalbard and after arrival in Svalbard will continue for the time being. The same applies to the ban on international charter flights to Svalbard.

Source: regjeringen

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