Infected with “Roald Amundsen” – issued by “Midnight Sun”: – Humiliating – VG

He was due to return home from Sortland on Wednesday, at Hurtigruten’s expense. But the captain kicked her off the ship when he claimed she had been ill.

– I have not experienced much degradation in life. But it was quite humiliating having to get off the ship. It really was a great sadness, Rustad tells VG.

The retiree, who was a nurse for 41 years, explained to the crew, to no avail, that she was symptom-free on August 14 and declared free of infection three days later.

– I consider myself promising, but I experienced that they did not believe me. They could only call the doctor’s office in Sortland, says the 79-year-old.

Fantastic experience

With her husband, brother and sister-in-law, she traveled with the expedition ship MS “Roald Amundsen” from Hurtigruten around Svalbard 24-31. July.

– We had a very expensive week and had a fantastic experience in nature in glorious weather. The recession was even bigger when we returned to Tromsø.

Retirees from the 1970s had started the car journey to Vesterålen when a friend called and saw on VG that several crew members had fallen ill with corona.

– Big scandal

We, who were passengers, had signed a five-page self-declaration on the disease and were subject to a strict regime of infection. It wasn’t the crew.

Solfrid Rustad believes that the passengers should have been informed about the infection on the ship and detained. She criticizes the fact that the foreigners among the crew were not examined.

– Hurtigruten’s handling was criticized. “Roald Amundsen” was a huge scandal, says the 79-year-old.

See VG special on the path of infection.

The four pensioners were crowned at Sortland’s medical office on August 3. Solfrid Rustad was the only one who tested positive and was placed in isolation.

– Like knives to the head

– I have flu symptoms. The worst was a terrible headache. It wasn’t until August 12 that I woke up without the feeling of having ten knives to my head, says Rustad.

The next day, Sortland’s doctor declared her free of symptoms and three days later free of infection, as established by the guidelines of the National Institute of Public Health.

A short time ago, Hurtigruten’s offer came in to make up for the damage.

– They offered me a free return trip to Trondheim, with a large cabin and full board. I agreed with Hurtigruten to leave Sortland on August 26.

I did not get to join

When Rustad boarded the MS ‘Midnattsol’, she declared that she was ill, but that a doctor had declared her free of infection on 17 August.

– Then they refused me to travel, even though nine days had passed. The reception said that the captain had decided that I was not allowed to join.

She understands that the captain was afraid of infection, after MS «Roald Amundsen».

– But as executive director on board, you must know the guidelines of the National Institute of Public Health. You can’t sit on those rules, Rustad says.

He was carrying a lot of luggage and asked the crew to order a taxi, but he stayed at the pier for an hour because the taxi center had been told there was an infection there.

– Not contagious

When asked if a previous coronary heart disease that has been declared free of symptoms and infection is still a risk of infection for others, infection control doctor Andreas Skulberg from the Norwegian Directorate of Health responds:

– She is not contagious.

Chief Physician of the National Institute of Public Health Siri L. Feruglio the same:

“People who have been diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 and are isolated at home can terminate the isolation (does not pose a risk of infection to others) when the person is free of symptoms and 3 days have passed after relief of the symptoms. symptoms and at least 8 days after the onset of symptoms. “

Happily travel again

Despite “Roald Amundsen” and the experience with “Midnight Sun”, Solfrid Rustad says that she likes Hurtigruten very much and would love to travel again.

– I have traveled several times a year between Trondheim and Sortland, it is very convenient in relation to taking a plane.

Hurtigruten has also offered crown cruise passengers in July to get their ticket money back or even more if they book a new trip.

– We are so happy to travel by boat that we can imagine a round trip with Hurtigruten in the last half of September, if all goes well, says Solfrid Rustad.

Hurtigruten Rune’s communications chief Thomas Ege says Hurtigruten’s own rules during the pandemic are in many ways stricter than those of the authorities.

– With us, it is stated that people who have had symptoms that may be related to covid-19 during the last two weeks, can be denied boarding, says Ege.

He believes the mistake was that Hurtigruten booked the return trip for Solfrid Rustad before her 14-day symptom-free period expired.

– So this got unnecessarily clumsy. It’s just to apologize, says Ege.

62 were infected

Hurtigruten is under police investigation. The county governor of Troms and Finnmark has opened an inspection of the ship’s doctors who were on the two weekly cruises with the new expedition ship “Roald Amundsen”.

A total of 386 passengers were on the two trips. Of the 158 crew members, 122 were Filipino citizens. 16 did not comply with the quarantine obligation when they arrived in Norway. 62 people have been confirmed to be infected after trips to Svalbard.

The shipping company has admitted errors at various stages in relation to handling the infection on board and subsequent communication to passengers and authorities.