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On Friday, Prime Minister Erna Solberg (H) announced that a further reopening of the company is on hold due to the infection situation in Norway. This means that the government will also not reconsider stopping drinking at midnight until mid-September at the earliest.
Since August 8, Norwegian restaurants and clubs are prohibited from serving alcohol after midnight.
Last week, both Oslo City Councilor Raymond Johansen (Labor Party) and Bergen City Councilor Roger Valhammer (Labor Party) called on the government to lift the ban on alcoholic beverages. This is due to fears that the move will lead to more house parties and more spread of the infection.
Estimated site of infection
At the same time, the National Institute of Public Health assumes that nine percent of those infected in Norway in weeks 31/32 and 32/33 were infected in a restaurant, bar or nightclub. If you also include those who were infected outside of Norway (import cases), the percentage of suspected infection in restaurants will be somewhat lower.
In comparison, probably 31% of those infected in Norway in week 31/32 were infected in a private home, while 20% were probably infected in private events.
In week 32/33, probably 35 percent of those infected in Norway were infected in a private home, 19 percent were likely infected at private events, 9 percent were likely infected at a travel party and 8 percent were likely infected at work or college.
The nightclub infection figures from the weekly reports correspond to the figures from the latest FHI risk assessment of August 14.
Much lower risk of infection
Know very little
The department director, Line Vold, of the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH), emphasizes to Dagbladet that the figures are subject to uncertainty. At the same time, she admits that the knowledge base is sparse.
– We really need more knowledge about this. We have some knowledge of the outbreaks that have occurred, as well as some information about them in our notification system. But we want better knowledge about it, says Vold to Dagbladet and continues:
– The figures in the weekly reports are subject to some uncertainty. This is what people declare as a probable infection site, which is entered in our statistics. But it can probably vary a bit how good an overview you have of it. It is also the case that you do not have information about the presumed site of infection for all cases.
In week 31/32, 17 percent of those infected in Norway were registered at an unknown infection site. In week 32/33, 12 percent were registered with an unknown infection site.
Statistics
Prime Minister Erna Solberg believes that we will never receive enough information about the rate of spread of the infection that takes place in restaurants and nightclubs.
– As long as we do not keep lists of who goes to the bar, and while the infection application is not running, it is difficult to know how much spread we have in those cases in which we have no control over who has been present. . So those stats will never give you good enough information, Solberg tells Dagbladet, adding:
– We do not pretend to control people in such detail in this country.
Warns against double disease
Strict measures
The nightlife industry has also criticized the measure with stopping drinking at midnight. Since before, the industry has been subject to strict regulations regarding infection control and hygiene. Among other things, there will be seating for all guests and all alcoholic beverages will be served at the table.
– The important thing is that we know that they are infected when they are close to each other. Therefore, it is important to keep your distance both when you are at home and when you are at nightclubs, parties and other social gatherings. Several of the outbreaks we’ve seen among young people have been related to social gatherings, parties and the type of events, says department director Vold.
Government decision
In addition, he says that NIPH has seen the consequences of so-called super spreaders in other countries.
– Now we collect knowledge on how the spread of infection occurs in social events. We also have experiences from other countries, where there are examples of people who have a lot of spread of the infection in some social gatherings, and that some people have infected quite a few. The risk of spreading the infection increases when you are indoors, close to each other, yelling and making a lot of noise.
– Is the knowledge base satisfactory for the measure to stop drinking?
– This is a decision made by the government. It is also the case that one is not sure of the effect of each individual measure, so it is something we are actively working on to gain more insight.
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