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The list of municipalities without a crown is getting shorter and shorter. Of the 356 municipalities in the country, only 33 now, according to the National Institute of Public Health, have not registered a single case.
Not surprisingly, the small municipalities are geographically located a good distance from the larger cities and towns that are still infection-free.
– Although we have not had a single case, we have followed the same guidelines as our neighboring municipalities. Several of them are struggling, so we have also closed the gym and the pool, says Mayor Kjetil Eikefet in Modalen.
False alarm
After Utsira in Rogaland, the municipality is the smallest in the country with 391 inhabitants. The alarm went off at Modalen yesterday when they received a positive test result, but it turned out to be a false alarm.
– At least we prove that all internal systems, plans and routines work, says Councilor Jo Tømmerbakke.
CLOSED: Despite the municipality being free from infections, Modalen Mayor Kjetil Eikefet, the pool and the gym are closed. Photo: Klaus Holthe / TV 2
Modalen is just two hours north of Bergen, and while they have escaped the pandemic so far, the mayor believes it won’t last.
– We have a lot of commuting and commuting, so it’s probably a bit of luck that we haven’t had an infection. I will be surprised if it doesn’t happen, says Kjetil Eikefet.
Make money from the pandemic
At the convenience store, General Manager Roger Fure says the pandemic has had a positive effect.
– We have an increase in turnover of one million crowns compared to last year. Customers are more loyal and new faces are constantly showing up from neighboring municipalities who want to shop here, says Fure.
87 YEARS OLD: Jevngamle Bjarne Mo (left) and Harald Nottveit meet every day in the store. Photo: Klaus Holthe / TV 2
At the store we also meet two of the retirees who meet every day for coffee and scraping one or more batches.
– We are calm and well here. We also don’t need a mask as long as we keep our distance, says Harald Nottveit (87).
Peers of the same age next door think that they should be prepared for the fact that everyday life without infections will not last.
– We’re so healthy here, but it can come, you know. It usually comes before the vaccine, says Bjarne Mo (87).
Infection-free municipalities
Rogaland:
Kvitsøy and Utsira
Møre and Romsdal:
Smøla
Vestland:
Modalen
Agder:
Vegårshei and Åseral
Inside:
Tolga and Vang
Telemark:
Nissedal
Trøndelag:
Frøya, Tydal, Lierne, Røyrvik, Namsskogan, Flatanger, Leka and Rindal.
Nordland:
Bindal, Vevelstad, Hattfjelldal, Rødøy, Gildeskål, Evenes, Røst, Værøy and Bø.
Troms and Finnmark:
Gratangen, Dyrøy, Kåfjord, Loppa, Lebesby, Gamvik and Berlevåg.
