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Prime Minister Erna Solberg warns that the coming days and weeks will be crucial for Norway and that the infection must be stopped to prevent uncontrolled spread. Therefore, it may be relevant to discourage travel to vulnerable areas in Norway.
– It may be relevant when the spread of the infection locally is such that we want to make sure there is a further spread of the infection, but we are not there now, says the Prime Minister to Dagbladet.
Norway epicenter
Bergen is currently the worst affected area in Norway. The summary of the National Institute of Public Health shows that cases of infection have been recorded on four flights from Bergen to other Norwegian cities since August 30.
– Is it also relevant to discourage travel from vulnerable areas in Norway?
– You should not travel if you are sick or start to feel unwell. Then you should be home, and we must be very clear about that. We must have these instruments in case we see that there are many violations of these types of rules, but we are not here today, Solberg responds.
NTNU professor of social medicine Steinar Westin is critical of the government’s proposal.
– I think it can be very difficult to make such a measure work. It will be difficult to decide which areas should be red, and it will be difficult to enforce without introducing a travel ban or a fully defined quarantine order. I can’t imagine a situation where people are quarantined after being in Bergen, Westin tells Dagbladet.
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Cheer up
Director Camilla Stoltenberg of the National Institute of Public Health tells Dagbladet that people should think carefully before traveling abroad.
– Is FHI behind the government’s proposal?
– First of all, we support the fact that the government will consider what it wants to do at any given time, even if it will recommend traveling in and out of the country, Stoltenberg tells Dagbladet and continues:
– For a while, traveling in the country was also discouraged, and we have always said that when you reopen to travel, it does not mean that you encourage it. In relation to domestic travel, you should also ask yourself why you are traveling, if it is necessary, and if you want to expose yourself to the risk that it may entail.
Exclude curfews
– Is the curfew in force in Norway?
– No, and we haven’t had a curfew in Norway. When the shutdown in Norway was most severe as of March 12, it was never as severe as in many other countries, Stoltenberg responds in cash.
– I believe that it will be possible to avoid the curfew in Norway in the future also with the instruments that we have available now, which means that we have a completely different overview of the situation. We do many more tests, we know that few are positive, and we have much more control over the situation at all times.
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Norwegian red
This week, the level of infection in Norway has exceeded 20 infected per 100,000 inhabitants. This is mainly due to the large local outbreaks in Bergen, Sarpsborg and Fredrikstad. Health Director Bjørn Guldvog also encourages the public to be more critical of domestic travel.
– If very severe outbreaks occur in some areas, it may be important to discourage travel. I think that the population should know the areas where there is infection and consider whether it is necessary to travel there (there are many who have necessary trips where there is infection) or if they can avoid it, Guldvog tells Dagbladet.
– How far is Bergen from such an area?
– I think they are further away today than I thought a few days ago. This is constantly evolving and the question is to what extent do you have control over the infection that exists in society. Now I hope, and believe, that Bergen will master it even better.
– What has changed in the last two days?
– You get a little better vision of the day to day. But it is clear that there is a vulnerable situation in Bergen, which we are following very, very closely.
Measurements in Bergen
On Tuesday, the Bergen Municipality introduced new intervention measures to prevent the spread of the infection originating from a local outbreak in student settings, especially students at the Norwegian School of Management (NHH). In recent days, there have also been cases in Bergen that cannot be traced back to student communities.
The municipalities introduced, among other things, a recommendation on bandages in public transport, restrictions on both public events and private meetings, a list of requirements in restaurants and restrictions on visits to municipal health institutions.
Health Minister Bent Høie tells Dagbladet that it is not relevant to advise against travel to Bergen at this time.
– We’re not there now. It is for everyone who travels to take into account that we must comply with the general infection control advice. This also applies if you need to travel to Bergen now, but we are not in a situation where we want a national council not to travel to Bergen right now, Høie tells Dagbladet.
