Broke covid regulations – was returned to the mainland from Svalbard – NRK Troms and Finnmark – Local news, TV and radio

The man had not completed the entry quarantine at Gardermoen, after arriving in Norway from London on Thursday.

– It is a violation of covid regulations, says Assistant Governor Sølvi Elvedahl.

The man was not allowed to leave Longyearbyen airport after his arrival, until he had to return to Gardermoen.

This despite the fact that he had completed a quick test at Gardermoen before leaving. It was negative.

The order to return to mainland Norway was given on the professional advice of the director of infection control at Longyearbyen hospital.

– It was the Gardermoen border control that announced that a person who had arrived in the country from London yesterday flew to Svalbard, says Elvedahl.

– Very serious

Svalbard has so far avoided having a single case of infection on record.

Sølvi Elvedahl says a ten-day quarantine period will take place on the mainland, although a negative rapid test may be shown.

– It’s because we have a restricted health contingency in Longyearbyen. We have few resources at our disposal and therefore we do our best to avoid getting infected here.

Elvedahl says this is the first time the governor has stepped in to send a person back when he lands, and that the man can expect a reaction for the violation of regulations.

– How serious is it that people do not comply with the entry quarantine before leaving for Svalbard?

– We take this very seriously. This could endanger the entire population of Svalbard. There is a reason such strict rules have been put in place, and they have since been toughened for Svalbard in particular.

Extra strict rules

In March last year, strict measures were taken to prevent coronary heart disease in the archipelago.

All travelers not residing in the Nordic countries were denied access to Svalbard.

In January this year, the government tightened the rules for entry into Svalbard. All unnecessary trips to the archipelago were warned.

For those still traveling to Longyearbyen, there was a requirement for a negative covid test result performed within 24 hours prior to departure. The test must be completed on dry land.

If you are also coming to Norway from abroad, the regulations say that you must also be quarantined for ten days.

Operations manager Tom Sandberg in the eastern police district says the man has returned to Oslo’s Gardermoen Airport with the first plane and has now been reported.

– He was informed at passport control upon arrival that he had to be quarantined and that he could not go to Svalbard. But he left anyway.

Thor Larsen, on duty in the eastern police district, does not want to comment on whether the man has been questioned.

He says the case can result in a fine similar to other cases where quarantine provisions are violated.