Solberg considered closing Norway at Christmas – VG

– We have had an assessment of whether we should have some kind of closure at Christmas, says Prime Minister Erna Solberg (H) to NTB.

The evaluation was conducted in the days leading up to a press conference on December 2. There the government council was presented for the Christmas celebration.

– It has been an important principle for us that we must be cautious. But at the same time, it must be proportionate. A closure would not be there, as the picture of infection looks at this point, says the Prime Minister.

Before the decision, the government had sought advice from the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) and the Norwegian Directorate of Health on the infectious, economic and social consequences of a severe shutdown. The council met on November 20.

Against the tide

The guidelines for Christmas celebrations in Norway are in stark contrast to the situation in many European countries. In practice, Denmark will be closed from December 25 to January 3, and the Netherlands has introduced a strict five-week national lockdown. The reason is an increase in coronary heart disease.

“We have been in exactly the same situation and we discuss what Denmark is implementing now,” says Solberg.

In Norway, the infection increased sharply in October and new austerity measures were adopted in late October and early November.

– We weren’t sure if they would give good enough results, admits Solberg.

But around the same time that the government received expert evaluations of the shutdown on November 20, positive news arrived.

– Then we saw that growth had stalled. At the same time, we work with other concepts, in case Christmas gives us a bigger outbreak later, and in case we lose a little discipline on infection control measures, says Solberg.

Restless for Christmas

The Prime Minister says she is confident in the decision not to close the country. At the same time, she does not hide the fact that events in other European countries disturb her.

– We are a little nervous about what happens after Christmas, admits Solberg.

She encourages everyone to be very careful and asks those who want to have more guests twice at Christmas to meet fewer people at Christmas and New Years.

– The concern we have is what we do at Christmas, that many are traveling. And that when positive news about vaccines comes out, people relax a little more. But it takes a long time before the vaccine has a real effect on society, so it is important that we hold back.

He describes the current situation in Norway as unstable, as new outbreaks appear in various places. While the infection has dramatically decreased in Bergen, Oslo still experiences that many are infected. At the same time, several local outbreaks occur.

“Unreasonable and disproportionate”

In November, the government asked health authorities to consider a community closure, with the exception of services that must be open, such as grocery stores, pharmacies and health services. On November 20, the Norwegian Health Directorate was aware that a shutdown would rapidly reduce the infection, but believed that such drastic measures at the national level would not be provided.

“It will impose disproportionately large burdens on large parts of the country that have low infection and infection control,” he said.

The Directorate indicated that confidence in the authorities depends on the population perceiving the measures as legitimate. FHI emphasized that no part of the country was at the highest risk level.

“Our assessment is further that the unfortunate development in the Oslo and Bergen area is probably in the process of slowing down, being under control and perhaps reversing with current measures,” he said.

“Given that the epidemiological situation varies widely across the country, we believe that the closure will be an unreasonable and disproportionate measure in many parts of the country.”

The Norwegian Health Directorate estimated the socio-economic costs of a three-week shutdown at NOK 8-18 billion.