The people of Bergen and the people of Oslo must sacrifice differently

The government came yesterday with strong adjustments, and today Oslo and Bergen continue. In practice, they are almost completely turned off.

This will have important social, psychological and economic consequences. The population has to sacrifice a lot, but there is no doubt that austerity measures are necessary. Infection and death rates are rising explosively in Europe, and calculations from the National Institute of Public Health show that developments in Norway will follow a similar curve if we fail to control developments.

Denmark has also had an outbreak of a mutated version of COVID-19, which originates from mink. It is feared that this virus is more resistant to antibodies and that, therefore, a vaccine will not work in this variant of the coronavirus.

When the population has to sacrifice so much, it is however absolutely crucial to look critically at the various strategies and financial support measures that the government is proposing.

Both Oslo and Bergen Today he had press conferences involving the strongest work stoppages in the country since March. A common feature of the strategies in both cities is the desire to protect children and vulnerable groups. The lesson from March has been that closing schools and kindergartens has such significant negative consequences that it should be avoided as much as possible.

This means that austerity measures will be just as harsh on other parts of society. And here the cities differ, with two clearly differentiated approaches.

Where Bergen wants to keep open the opportunity to socialize in a public place and reduces the opportunity to socialize in private homes, Oslo opts for the opposite.

Bergen introduces a ban on more than five people meeting in private houses, but maintains the possibility of pubs being open until 10 pm It is also possible to have meetings in a public place with up to 20 people. The city thus provides a small straw for restaurants and eateries. The uncle or the grandmother, on the other hand, cannot visit the family, which already has five people.

Oslo, on the other hand, in practice closes to the public. Starting Monday, drinking will be completely stopped and indoor gatherings will be prohibited. Broad-based sports for kids are saved, as are libraries. On the other hand, with 10 people meeting in private homes, within national regulations a maximum of 10 close contacts per week will still be allowed. Oslo prioritizes the opportunity to meet in private homes, but sacrifices the nightlife.

This is a powerful message for business actors in Oslo. In recent days, several nightclubs and restaurants have had to report riots, or announced that they will be closed indefinitely. Now more will follow. It is in light of this that we must understand Raymond Johansen’s strong appeal to the government during the press conference. New financial support measures should be put in place as soon as possible to ensure that otherwise viable businesses have a future after the pandemic.

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That’s a recommendation that the government obviously has to follow. Now the compensation ordinance has been abolished, a new system must be established. Health Minister Bent Høie moved in today after press conferences in Bergen and Oslo, announcing that toughening in cities was necessary. He emphasizes that the government will have to collect the bill with a new package of measures as soon as possible.

With a new package of measures in place, the question will also be whether Bergen can maintain its strict line of a maximum of five people in private homes, while at the same time keeping the nightlife partially open. It is a form of intervention in our most intimate personal sphere that can be questionable in relation to the Infection Control Law and which, not least, will be difficult to generate understanding in the population.