[ad_1]
Norway is considering new austerity measures to prevent a new mutation of the virus from spreading from the UK. There he is headed for a nitrist Christmas with closure and isolation.
Many were Christmas shopping on Regent Street in London on Saturday afternoon, in the last minute before the new austerity measures. Photo: Alberto Pezzali / AP
Christmas has been canceled for many Brits. They are not allowed to buy gifts. They are not allowed to gather for the Christmas party. They are not allowed to travel. All due to the new super-infectious virus variant that is now spreading.
The Norwegian authorities are also concerned.
– Some of the changes that have been seen in the virus in the UK, we have also seen in the virus in Norway, but not as many changes and in the mix reported by the UK, writes department head Line Vold from the National Institute of Public Health in a press release.
She says there is no evidence to say that the new variant of the virus is more dangerous than the variants that we have seen in Norway.
Boris Johnson speaks at a press conference in Downing Street on Saturday. Photo: Toby Melville / Reuters
Cancel Christmas
In the UK, the government is dramatically stepping up its infection measures since Sunday.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Christmas gatherings cannot be ignored and all non-essential shops must close in London and much of the South East of England.
- There are 16 million people living in the areas, which are now at infection control level 4. That is one third of the population.
- These must stay at home. People cannot travel in or out of this area. Nor can they spend the night away from home.
- Everyone else in England can only see friends and family on Christmas Day, the British “Christmas Eve”.
- Shops, gyms, leisure facilities, and other services deemed non-critical should be closed.
- People need to work from the home office if they can.
– we have no control
“British health authorities have no control over the highly contagious new variant of coronavirus,” British Health Minister Matt Hancock warned Sky News on Sunday afternoon. He calls on all British people in the worst affected areas to “behave as if they have the virus”.
Yesterday Prime Minister Boris Johnson canceled Christmas for many Britons. All stores that are not socially critical must be closed and the Christmas holidays have been canceled. Here from Regent Street in London. Photo: Alberto Pezzali / AP
Alert to WHO and EU
The country has notified the WHO and EU countries of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that has spread in south-east England.
The new variant of the virus, which has spread in south-east England over the past week, is said to be 70% more contagious, but does not cause more serious illness, than the original variant of the virus. England is now imposing extra stringent restrictions on areas where the virus has been detected.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock left Downing Street on Wednesday. London and the southern areas of England are now heading for a total shutdown. Photo: Alberto Pezzali / AP
Minister of Health and Sanitary Services Bent Høie Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum
Norway is considering further adjustment
On Sunday, it was announced that Norwegian health authorities are also considering additional tightening to prevent the new variant of the virus from reaching Norway.
The mutation has been detected in samples from 9 people in Denmark, as well as in the Netherlands and Australia. So far, the variant has not been discovered in Norway. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health is closely monitoring the situation, a Norwegian government press release states.
At the moment, there is talk that the Norwegian Health Directorate “will strengthen information on quarantine rules” for travelers from the United Kingdom. It is also considering offering PCR testing to people who have arrived from the UK in the last 14 days, as well as tightening quarantine exemption rules for UK travelers.
– It is important that we act quickly to try to prevent this variant of the virus from spreading further nationally here in Norway. It is important that all people who have arrived from the UK in the last 14 days comply with the quarantine rules. We have strict entry measures, but are now considering whether further measures need to be implemented, says Bent Høie, Minister of Health and Care Services.
At the same time, several countries are stopping all UK air traffic:
On Saturday Holland was the first to leave, on Sunday Belgium followed. Reports AFP. And if that wasn’t enough, German news magazine Der Spiegel also reports that Germany is considering the same thing too.
Now considering the risk for Norway
The National Institute of Public Health is now assessing the risk for Norway and says they are closely monitoring the situation, together with sister institutes from the Nordic and European countries.
Municipalities are asked to pay particular attention to UK infections and to notice it in samples sent to labs. In addition, they intensify the monitoring of virus variants in medical-microbiological laboratories and collect relevant samples of these.
