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A large majority of Oslo residents say they follow the crown’s rules and wear bandages. But they still want to keep schools and kindergartens open.
Councilor Raymond Johansen in Oslo. Photo: Siri Øverland Eriksen
On Wednesday, Health Minister Bent Høie (H) said that further austerity measures may be necessary in the capital. On the same day, the most populous municipality in the country reported a record 223 cases of infection registered in the last 24 hours.
– Two days ago the red level was introduced in upper secondary schools. What is the next step now?
– We see that the infection has been increasing among the younger age groups. We see that the infection occurs in the home, but does not enter through the kitchen fan. It comes through infected people outside. And what remains are the schools. First, we must hope that what has been implemented works. But it is at the school that there is now activity and people gather, city council leader Raymond Johansen tells Aftenposten.
– Is it then a school closure, as we saw in March?
– We hope to avoid it completely. It’s about reducing mobility everywhere. There has been an increase in those infected between the ages of 13 and 19. We have to see where they are infected, and now almost only the schools remain, says the leader of the city council.
In a new survey commissioned by the city of Oslo, residents respond to intrusive measures that have been introduced:
- 89 percent of those surveyed say they follow all the crown rules.
- 96 percent say they wear masks.
- 73 percent agree that Oslo should have its own rules.
- 57 percent do not agree with the closure of schools and kindergartens.
After the survey was conducted, it has been further strengthened for schools, with a red tier at the lower secondary level.
– Most do not agree, at the same time it is being increasingly toughened by the schools?
– I do not agree that they should also be closed, but that may be the only way to stop the infection. I understand people very well, and that is why we have tried to protect the youngest until the end, says Johansen.
High support for measures
– There is good news for the city council in the survey. What do you get out of this?
– For people to recognize that Oslo is a special area, as there are many who live here. And that people therefore accept stricter measures than in other areas of Norway.
Many are bored, but an overwhelming majority say they follow the capital’s infection control rules. Photo: Olav Olsen
88 percent estimate that they are well aware of the latest Oslo rules. At the same time, 59 percent overlook the question of how many can meet privately in the capital now.
– In some cases, there was a lot of confusion when national authorities removed a new item with five plus five collected. It’s just a recommendation, while Oslo has a very simple rule: no more than ten are allowed here, says Johansen.
The Oslo rules state that it is forbidden to organize or attend private meetings with more than ten people present. It is not allowed to hold private meetings inside a public place or in rented or loaned premises. Outdoor meetings can have up to 20 participants.
76 percent of those polled do not agree that the measures in Oslo are too strict. 17 percent think so.
– Basically I think the amount of people who get bored is very low. Many are affected, many have put life on hold. In other countries, there have been large demonstrations against the measures, so the numbers are gratifying.
Something that divides the residents of Oslo is whether they are tired of the rules. 36 percent respond that they are bored.
– Are you afraid of demonstrations and things like that in Oslo?
– No, I’m not. There has been great support for the measures. Self-isolation, meetings in Teams: you dream of a life different from this one. I can understand people being shit. This does not mean that they do not follow the rules or do not accept the situation.
The number R shows the exit from disability.
Ten days ago the social closure of Oslo began. Then, among other things, a ban on alcoholic beverages, a red bar in upper secondary schools, and a ban on social gatherings outside private homes were introduced.
– When do you expect the number of reported cases of infection to begin to decrease in the last 24 hours?
– Basically these measures work for 14 days before you see the effect. We do not know if the increase would have been greater if we had not introduced the measures. Next week, we expect the numbers to go down. Mobility is now much less than it was, says Johansen.
A report from the Emergency Management Agency in Oslo showed that mobility in the Sentrum district decreased by 12 percent from one week to the next.
There are several ways to estimate infection pressure. The R number stands for reproduction numbers and shows how many people a person with coronary heart disease continues to infect. If R is 1, each infected person will infect another person on average.
– What number should the inhabitants follow to understand when the measures end? The number R now 1.4? The average number of cases of infection reported last week, which is now 187? Or a completely different number?
– The R number has risen to 1.6 and should drop below 1. We must have enough people to test themselves, good infection tracking ability, isolation ability and quarantine possibilities. We don’t get away with arguing the daily numbers, and they have yet to stabilize at a satisfactory level. Daily numbers also have a lot of variables, which means they don’t necessarily say that much.
– And what should the figures be before any of the measures are reversed?
– It is the R number that must be below 1. I think the National Institute of Public Health and the Norwegian epidemiology experts will say that it is correct.
From Karl Johans’ door last Saturday. Photo: Ketil Blom Haugstulen
– What measures are the first to disappear?
– We cannot go out with the details now, but I think it is important to say that in June we increased social contact too quickly. For example, traveling, both inside and outside the country. Then we exposed ourselves to society with a completely different infection management. Measures within national borders will disappear first.
– What are the latest signs about the Christmas celebration?
– It will probably be a different Christmas. For the many immigrants in Oslo, it is important not to put yourself in a situation where, for example, they are quarantined two days before the Christmas holidays. It’s about being careful next time, so we can hope that we can celebrate Christmas with those we love, says Councilor Raymond Johansen in Oslo.
