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In addition, several measures for UK travelers are being reinforced.
Many other countries have stopped flights because they fear the new corona mutation.
The Health Minister says that yesterday they began extensive information work regarding those who have arrived in Norway from the United Kingdom in the last 14 days. Among other things, they have sent text messages to those who have arrived in Norway.
– Those who do not follow these new rules can be punished by criminal law, says Bent Høie.
It is estimated that the new variant of the virus may be 70 percent more contagious than the original variant of the virus. The virus does not appear to cause a more serious illness.
– Should have been introduced earlier
Denmark is also halting UK air traffic due to the new crown variant. Sweden and Finland, among others, do the same.
From midnight to Tuesday, all flights from the UK to Poland will be canceled, according to Reuters.
– When other countries have introduced air travel from the UK, I think the government should have introduced it this morning. Better to be careful, Center Party parliamentary representative Kjersti Toppe tells NRK.
Storting representative Kjersti Toppe of the Center Party believes that it is incomprehensible that the government has not already introduced air strikes from the UK.
Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten
Call an emergency meeting
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called an emergency meeting today as a result of much of Europe introducing a total air strike.
This morning Health Minister Bent Høie and the government decided to halt UK air traffic for two days.
– We must ensure that the variant of the virus that has been detected in the UK spreads to Norway as little as possible. That is why we are now stopping direct flights from the UK and tightening measures for travelers from this area. This is in line with the advice we have received from the Norwegian Health Directorate, says the Minister of Health and Care Services Bent Høie.
Two planes from London were supposed to land at Gardermoen this afternoon, while two planes from Aberdeen were expected for Bergen and Stavanger. These are now under arrest.
Many countries have already stopped UK air traffic.
Photo: AFP Photo / Scanpix.
Various measures are entered
The Health Minister says the goal of the measures is to get a better overview of the situation.
– In addition to stopping flights, various measures will be introduced for UK travelers until January 10. The main rule about quarantine for 10 days still applies, he says.
In addition, there are requirements for:
- PCR test (Covid 19 test) within 24 hours of arrival in Norway and then a new test no earlier than day 7 after entry from the UK.
- Perform the PCR test as soon as possible for travelers who have come to Norway from the UK in the last 2 weeks.
- Requirements for arrival registration.
- Requirement to notify the municipality where the traveler will stay.
- The current exemption from entry quarantine does not apply to travelers from the UK, with the exception of certain provisions.
The Norwegian Health Directorate will find out if the new and more contagious variant of the UK virus has reached Norway.
Quarantine rules can be changed
The National Institute of Public Health has stepped up monitoring for viruses in laboratories and has sent a message to all municipalities to be more vigilant if travelers from England are tested.
The Norwegian Health Directorate has been tasked with reinforcing information on quarantine rules for those coming or coming from the UK in the last 14 days. They will also consider whether people who have arrived from the UK in the last 14 days or who will arrive in the future will be offered a PCR test, i.e. a laboratory test, after their arrival.
In addition, they will consider tightening the quarantine exemption rules for travelers from the UK.
2,771 passengers have arrived in Norway from the UK in the past two weeks, according to figures obtained by Avinor’s Aftenposten.
Støre and Johansen are pushing
On Sunday evening, Oslo City Councilor Raymond Johansen wrote on Facebook that the government should consider closing the borders for UK travelers.
– I hope this time we have learned and can be safe. If we follow Belgium, the Netherlands and the other countries, we can save ourselves more time.
Johansen has the support of Labor leader Jonas Gahr Støre. He writes on Twitter that effective measures must be implemented and communicated before planes take off.
– this was expected
Espen Rostrup Nakstad, deputy health director for the Norwegian Health Directorate, says there is still a lot of uncertainty about the new variant of the virus that has been found in the UK.
– I don’t think work will be wasted with new vaccines. We had a history of mutations in Denmark and we expected the virus to mutate. We must closely monitor whether the new varieties are more contagious, he says.
Espen Rostrup Nakstad says he still has a lot of faith that the vaccines will work even though new variants of the coronavirus have been found in the UK.
Photo: NRK
The government will hold a press conference today at 1 pm Minister of Health and Care Services Bent Høie, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Public Health Gun Peggy Knudsen and Director of Health Bjørn Guldvog will be present.
Many countries have stopped flights
The Netherlands and Belgium closed all flights from the UK on Sunday after a new variant of the coronavirus was found. Germany is considering doing the same.
It is estimated that the new variant of the virus now spreading in the UK may be 70% more contagious than the original variant. Therefore, England is imposing extra stringent restrictions on areas where the virus has been detected.
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