Very concerned about the situation in Oslo

Health Minister Bent Høie (H) says he is prepared to make national decisions if the Oslo City Council does not follow the advice of the health authorities.

The people of Oslo now run the corona infection in Norway. Both the National Institute of Public Health, the Norwegian Directorate of Health and the director of infection control in Oslo now recommend much stricter measures to stop the spread.

The health authorities sent this Friday a note with proposals for new measures by email to the city hall.

“After a general assessment, the Norwegian Health Directorate has concluded that there is already a need to deploy instruments more powerful than this,” states the memorandum that Aftenposten has been given access to.

In this, the Norwegian Health Directorate and the NIPH propose a package of measures for 14 days, which Oslo should introduce “as soon as possible”.

On Saturday, the city council met to discuss precisely this, that is, any new and more powerful measure from the crown.

However, the City Council did not approve any new changes to infection control measures at Saturday’s meeting. But the town council leader told Aftenposten on the same day that things can change quickly.

– I’m worried about many things now. My middle name is “worry”. Raymond “Worry” Johansen told Aftenposten.

The government is considering taking action for Oslo

Another person who is concerned is the Minister of Health, Bent Høie (H).

“I am very concerned about the situation in Oslo and I hope that the City Council will place great emphasis on the professional recommendation of the Norwegian Health Directorate. The work that is now being done in the municipalities to quell the infection is a national contribution to prevent the start of new waves, as we see elsewhere in Europe.

Make it clear that the government will take action if the Oslo City Council does not:

“Acting quickly is important. I am closely monitoring the situation in Oslo and am prepared to make national decisions if the Oslo City Council does not follow the advice of the leadership.”

The reason the Oslo City Council is waiting with new measures is that they will first give people the opportunity to take responsibility for themselves.

– It is basically an individual responsibility. It is up to each individual how seriously we should take this. We must regain the seriousness of March / April and the spirit we had then, Johansen said on Saturday.

The town council leader believes that more people have understood the seriousness. Among other things, several restaurants have started registering their visitors, as ordered by the municipality on Monday.

The city council rejected the precautionary measure

It was also announced yesterday that the director of infection control in Oslo, Frode Hagen, recommended last week an order for bandages on Oslo public transport.

The city council did not follow his recommendation, but chose to sharpen its recommendation to wear a mask.

On Friday, the city council announced that it would consider even stricter measures next week, including an order for a bandage.

On Saturday, however, Raymond Johansen (Labor Party) told Aftenposten that there are “some legal obstacles” to imposing bandages.

– It is mainly about enforcing a court order. We’ll be back with more on this in a few days, Johansen said.

– I’m disappointed. I can’t understand that not everyone wears a mask. People must understand that if they don’t start wearing masks, we will have to implement even stronger measures, Johansen told Aftenposten on Saturday.

Ban more than five people in private gatherings

The wishes of the Norwegian Health Directorate and the National Institute of Public Health for further restrictions in Oslo were on the agenda. They recommend the following:

• Introduce a ban on private gatherings of more than five people.
• Have a maximum number of 50 people at the events.
• Stop admission to nightclubs at 10pm
• Strengthen control in restaurants, including sufficient distance between customers both inside and in line at the entrance
• Banning of events in upper secondary schools and universities that are not related to teaching.
• Have a request for the use of a home office for everyone who can
• Strengthen compliance with the use of face masks in public transport in and to / from Oslo

The note from the Norwegian Health Directorate and the National Institute of Public Health says:

‘The infection situation in Oslo is a cause for concern, partly because there are many ongoing outbreaks overloading the infection detection apparatus, and partly because there is an increasing infection outside the outbreaks. Measures have recently been implemented to reduce the spread of the infection. It is too early to decide what effect they will have, but after a general assessment, the Norwegian Health Directorate has concluded that there is a need to implement more powerful instruments than this.