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During a press conference today, the municipality of Hamar introduced a series of local measures due to the increase in infection.
Among them are two measures specifically aimed at young people. They say that people under the age of 25 cannot stay in gyms or in the pool.
In the last nine days, 36 cases of contagion have been reported in the municipality.
The municipalities of Ringsaker, Stange and Løten have introduced similar measures, which are applied for the next 14 days.
Measures that affect the youth of the municipalities:
Hamar Municipality:
- Gyms are closed to people under 25 years of age.
- The Ankerskogen swimming pool is closed to under 25s.
- Leisure activities stop
Ringsaker Township:
- Prohibition of leisure activities for children and young people under 25 years of age.
- Exercise ban in gyms for under 25s.
Strange municipality:
- All leisure activities for children and young people under 25 years of age will stop until November 8 inclusive.
- Gyms are closed to people under 25 years of age.
Municipality of Løten:
- Organized leisure activities for children and young people under 25 years of age are suspended. Those under 25 are advised not to use the gym during this period.
– No age discrimination
City Director Christl Kvam emphasizes that the new measures do not discriminate by age.
– We do this simply because we have a large infection in this age group. So we want to reduce the touchpoints for this one in particular, Kvam explains.
The measures mean that young people cannot participate in cultural or leisure activities such as choir, corps and scout.
PRESENTS MEASURES: Municipal Director of Hamar, Christl Kvam. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB
Kvam says the municipality regrets that this prevents young people from participating in leisure activities.
– If we are good, it will be short-lived. So the better we are, the shorter it will be before you can go back, he says.
– Isn’t this contrary to the government’s desire to protect children and young people?
– That’s exactly what we do, we protect them from increased infection, says Kvam.
She says that it is the municipal chief doctors who assess the infection situation and what measures should be implemented.
– We do this because we find that the infection is a bit widespread in the population.
Prohibition of leisure activities
Ringsaker Municipality introduces a specific ban on leisure activities for children and young people under 25 years of age, in addition to a ban on training in fitness centers for people under 25 years of age.
– We must go where the risk of contagion is greatest, and it is among young people. So we tried to start there to prevent the infection from spreading, says Deputy Councilor Espen Hvalby.
The spread of infection in Ringsaker is still at a relatively low level.
– Measurements are carried out in consultation with our municipal chief doctor. This is coordinated with the other municipalities around us, so we try to get in a line, Hvalby says.
Municipalities can get several billions more
During the third government press conference on Thursday on the situation of the crown this week, Local Government Minister Nikolai Astrup (H) said that the municipal sector has been badly affected by the pandemic.
Therefore, the government puts more money on the table for municipalities next year.
– The city clerk is proposed to receive an additional NOK 7.3 billion in 2021, Astrup said.
The proposal is based on a task force and KS calculations, and will cover additional expenses and lower revenues related to the corona pandemic in the first half of 2021.
