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“Almost locked” right now
CLOSING: Councilor Raymond Johansen, Health Councilor Robert Steen and School Councilor Inga Marte Thorkildsen introduce stricter infection control measures in Oslo. Photo: Heiko Junge
Norwegians face a new everyday life. Especially in big cities, crown measurements are tough. But unfortunately they are necessary.
This is a leader. The leader expresses the attitude of VG. The political editor of VG is responsible for the leader.
CLOSED: In Bergen, restaurants close at 10pm and you can only gather five in private homes. There are outbreaks of infection in several Bergen nursing homes. Photo: Gabriel Aas Skålevik
On Thursday, Erna Solberg gave metropolitan areas a clear message of closure.
And the next day, the big cities deliver on request. In Bergen and Oslo, the measures will be so strict that it will hardly be possible to meet indoors, at least only with those closest. The gym, theater, cinema, culture and sports will be closed.
Oslo City Councilor Raymond Johansen is forced to introduce a “social lockdown” after going against several of the government’s austerity wishes earlier this fall.
For now, the infection rates are so bad that there is no way out. Most things other than funerals, schools, and kindergartens stop.
Older schoolchildren are not screened either. In Oslo and Viken, more of the teaching in upper secondary schools is being digitized. Also in Troms and Finnmark, students in upper secondary schools will be primarily homeschooled in the future.
In Oslo, there will be a full stop for drinking from Monday. In Bergen, the cranes close at half past nine. There will be no weddings, birthdays, or confirmations, unless you want to celebrate alone. In Oslo, the rules for fixed chairs and the possibility of larger gatherings in rented premises are history.
Most of the things are short and to the point.
And we think it is prudent, since the infection situation is now. Simplicity is usually the best, even if it is strict.
But, without a doubt, this will greatly affect both public health and companies. An out-of-control pandemic will do the same.
It is difficult to communicate the many rules that apply with different limits on the number of people who can participate. One danger is that the message disappears into the question of whether five or ten is allowed and whether the chairs need to be fixed. The important message that we should meet smaller people can be drowned in questions about creative adaptations and rule-avoidance.
But now it’s serious.
And the bleak and leaden message is the one that people should bring with them. We will not meet now.
The capital has had strict measures since the end of September, without the infection having diminished.
As more cities make drastic closures, we hope and believe that infection rates will reverse and that we will be able to protect our elderly and vulnerable.
The only thing we have to do against this disease is for most people to change their behavior. Together, we must prevent the virus from finding new hosts to multiply.
