Thousands could not be stopped

Today, Black Friday has gone off the rails. The day of the US-inspired special is loved and hated, but there’s little doubt that it manages to attract people to stores.

This year, however, the crown situation has meant that many stores have extended the day of the sale to apply for the entire week. Still, many had made the trip to grab some bargains on Friday afternoon.

In the shopping center of the city of Oslo, a queuing system had to be implemented to avoid congestion and non-compliance with infection control recommendations.

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– Do not save

Dagbladet also spoke to several people at the Storo center today. Many of them had made the trip to buy Christmas presents.

When asked if they were afraid of becoming infected with the coronavirus on a day like this, the answer for many was no, but many still took clear precautions.

– We are not afraid, but we are careful and try to show solidarity, says Helge Krabye and his wife Ivy to Dagbladet.

Tor Frøseth had made the trip downtown for a cup of coffee, as he does every week, and he had no big shopping plans.

– I don’t care about that. I don’t know what it is, and I won’t know this year either, he tells Dagbladet.

Frøseth also didn’t think there were more people here than otherwise.

Coronavakt

Mostafa Waziri is one of five who work as coronary guards at the center. He started working two days ago and will continue to do so until December.

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For his part, he realizes that there are more people in the center today, but he believes that people are good at taking infection control rules seriously.

– Today there was no maximum capacity. There have been around 2200 people at most and the maximum capacity is 2500. It has been quite nice, people are quite cheerful, even if some are busy.

Waziri is tasked with handing out masks and reaching out to people entering the center.

– There are not many who forget the bandages, but there are many who want to change what they are wearing, he tells Dagbladet.

– Resolved exemplary

In the city of Oslo, they had to introduce a queuing system for a period this afternoon. This is because the center strictly adheres to the city of Oslo’s recommendations on distance, bandaging and Antibac, Steen & Strøm AS COO Ketil Wold explains to Dagbladet.

– They come with continuous incentives for customers and visitors in accordance with the rules and recommendations that the municipality of Oslo has given. We take these measures together with the municipality to create peace and contribute to safe commerce in the city of Oslo.

Wold will congratulate the tenants of the city of Oslo with the handling.

– This spirit of service is vaguely exemplary. Today they were well prepared with extra measures. Today they had attended all the entrances with guards and people who distributed masks to those they wanted but did not have.

Waiting for record progress

– One of the best days

According to the recommendation of the municipality, the Oslo city limit is approx. 6300 people. Wold explains that the company operates on a “live count” system. This means that at all times, in each second, they know the number of people inside the center.

An automatic alarm goes off at 5800 people, and then action is taken at all entrances. He did it around 4.30pm on Friday. During the busiest hours, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., a queuing system was introduced that worked very well, Wold explains to Dagbladet.

– People kept their distance in queues. We found that everyone enforced the rules and followed them. Therefore, both customers and stores should receive high praise.

– I am absolutely sure that the day passed well within the norms and recommendations of the City of Oslo, he adds.

Black Friday: this is what chains do

– Were there more people and did I push this year?

– Last year, there were about 8,000 clients inside the center at the same time at most. This week we had a black week and Friday was the best.

– Has this been the best day since the crown restrictions came in in March?

– There is reason to believe that, at least one of the best days. This has been a good business week in 2020.

Much traffic

This afternoon, the road traffic center also reported “heavy traffic” towards Oslo. Here, Black Friday was considered one of the explanations.

– There is no special reason why there should be a queue now. There are no incidents. We can assume that there is weekend traffic combined with Black Friday, says traffic operator Christofa Key-Nilsen in Vegtrafikksentralen to Dagbladet.

It started around 1.30pm.

– There are movements, but a lot of traffic and a lot of pressure, Key-Nilsen said.