– Good luck, says the head of infection control – NRK

The infection is increasing in several urban municipalities. This worries the Norwegian Health Directorate, which says it is crucial that municipalities actively detect infections during Christmas.

In the last few days alone, there are 793 new infections in Norway.

But, in the county town of Nordland, there have been no infections since November. Good luck, according to the chief infection control physician.

Because only today a case of infection was detected in Bodø in December, after 27 days without it.

– First of all, people have been able to take into account and follow the advice and recommendations that have come, says the chief doctor of infection control in Bodø, Kai Brynjar Hagen.

Although he thinks there is some luck in the image, he says there is also work behind it.

– Second, a very good preventive work has been done, says Hagen.

^{Source: Norwegian statistics / infection figures from the municipalities themselves (as of December 26 at 09/28)}

Relationship to infection in a doctor’s office

The new infection case in Bodø is related to the infection in a doctor’s office in Hamarøy municipality, north of Bodø, says health manager Stian Wik Rasmussen in Bodø municipality.

On Christmas Day, the emergency room in Hamarøy municipality was closed after an infection was discovered in the office.

An employee was diagnosed with an infection. All employees in the doctor’s office are in quarantine.

Therefore, a nursing home in the municipality has also been closed. Visits to residences are not recommended. Everyone who has visited the doctor’s office after December 14 is also asked to get tested.

– It’s very serious. Now it is important that we provide information to our citizens, Mayor Britt Kristoffersen told Avisa Nordland on Christmas Day.

Until further notice, residents must travel an hour and a half to the neighboring municipality of Steigen if they need to go to the emergency room.

– We know the original source of infection, which is a person from the south on Christmas holidays. We also have an overview of close contacts, says Wik Rasmussen about the new case in Bodø.

Shopping center: – Fewer customers, higher turnover

City Nord in Bodø is the largest shopping center in northern Norway measured by area.

Although Bodø is well positioned compared to other larger cities, the center’s manager, Tor Austad, has noticed the coronavirus in both the sales figures and the number of visitors.

Ironically, the turnover has increased, while the number of visitors has decreased.

– What we have seen now since the figures began to normalize is that there are fewer customers even though sales have increased, says Austad.

Unevenly, he says the “hikers” have disappeared. For many, the mall is a place to socialize, chat, and have a cup of coffee.

Those who have made the trip have gone to the mall to buy. Austad also believes that people have heard the advice that not everyone in a household should participate in a shopping trip during the pandemic.

He believes that the movements of the virus have also become visible in the customer base.

– We had a Monday in early November when we found out that there were 20 new cases of infection during a weekend in Bodø. Then we immediately saw the first two weeks later that there were fewer customers, says Austad.

You must be very careful now

The center director says he is impressed with the municipality’s work in detecting and preventing infections.

– Cooperation has been absolutely crucial, both with local and central authorities. The rules that have been introduced at the center are not something we made up ourselves, says Austad.

But a low infection pressure doesn’t mean you can take infection control advice lightly, emphasizes the head of infection control.

– The answer is, of course, that we cannot do that. Now there is more travel activity. We expect a large influx of seasonal workers for winter fishing, many coming home for Christmas. So you have to be more vigilant and not get this out of control, says Kai Brynjar Hagen.