It’s moving into brighter times

Covid-19 vaccines mean that both life and the economy can probably open up to spring.

Spring 2021 may be the most beautiful in many, many years. After a year of freedom, uncertainty and unemployment, several new coronary vaccines mean that we can finally get our lives back.

In recent weeks, four manufacturers have announced that they have vaccines ready for approval, three European-American and one Chinese.

Norway has a stake in two of them, from Pfizer / Biontech and Astra Zeneca / Oxford University. Of these, Pfizer is at the forefront of the track. The pharmaceutical company expects to begin vaccinating from December. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health believes that the first doses will arrive in the country in January.

Follow Aftenposten Norway has ordered two million doses of the Pfizer vaccine. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health believes that it is successful in vaccinating all people in risk groups who want a vaccine, including those over 65.

In addition, Norway has ordered 3.3 million doses of the Astra Zeneca vaccine.

Both vaccines must be given in two doses. In total, therefore, Norway will be able to vaccinate 2.1 million people, probably before the summer. Then health professionals and people in “socially critical roles” will also be vaccinated, so that the rest of society opens up.

Things can go wrong down the road and delay vaccination. Things can always go wrong. In between, there are many vaccines that will be produced in a short time. But, for example, there are reasons for optimism.

Vaccine News Gives Hope at a time when we really need it. Much of the country has closed again, after the infection rate rose dramatically in November, both in Norway and internationally. A major reason for the new wave is that the virus lives longer when it is cold and dark.

So even though the number of infections right now is decreasing, we will probably have to live with restrictions all winter long, until enough people are vaccinated. It’s not that nice.

But with a solution in mind, those of us with a secure job should be able to bite into a few more months with measures. Then it is worse for those who are now out of work or who own a company that is in danger of going bankrupt. Once again, cultural life, the nightlife industry and tourism are the most affected.

Vaccines keep working some reason for optimism in these industries as well. First of all, it will be difficult for the government to reduce support for businesses and the unemployed, when now we see the end of the crisis already in the spring.

When the society opens up, Norwegians will also go out more and travel more in their own countries. As DNB Markets chief economist Kjersti Haugland points out to Finansavisen, Norwegians have raised a lot of money during the crown crisis. She believes in a consumer party for the summer.

If there are also crises and restrictions in the usual tourist country of Norway, there could be a boom for restaurants, hotels and tourism in other parts of Norway.

Anyway it’s pinkish red not in day-to-day industries. Despite the generous support schemes, many companies have consumed a lot of the funds saved up to now in crisis. The question is whether they get through the winter and how long do they have to continue when spring comes, and support schemes are removed.

Foreign summer tourists will probably be less than usual. They tend to order in advance for a long time, but few still dare, until vaccination is too uncertain, both in Norway and in the countries of origin of tourists.

We look up for the rest of the economy there are several positive points. The international economy is expected to recover dramatically when vaccination has gone far enough, although in many other countries it will take longer than in Norway.

News about vaccines boosted the stock market and pushed the price of oil higher. The increase rose another notch Tuesday, when Donald Trump finally accepted that Joe Biden could begin the process of taking power in the United States.

Biden has chosen very wealthy people to govern among other fiscal and foreign policies, something that may provide more stability in the future for everyone. Reducing uncertainty makes it less risky to invest, and therefore generally good for the economy.

In the middle of all this The euphoria, of course, it is possible to worry about the mountain of international debt, which has grown even greater during the crown crisis. Most countries have spent huge sums during the corona pandemic.

There will be more when countries gain momentum in the economy, including through investment in new green industries and climate measures. At one point or another, Europe, the United States and other rich countries will have to cut spending, but this is unlikely to happen in the first few years.

The corona epidemic has led to a quantum leap in vaccine development. When the epidemic began in Europe in February-March, the World Health Organization (WHO) predicted that it would be at least 18 months before a vaccine could be ready.

Even that was a fast record. Now researchers and pharmaceutical companies, using new technologies, are likely to be able to do so in 10 months.

It shows what one can come up with one that really tries. If the world gets rid of the climate crisis with the same commitment, it may turn out that the human race is not completely desperate after all.