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Frode Forland notes that there was a more severe flu epidemic in Norway 2019-2020 than in Sweden, with fewer deaths in Sweden than in Norway:
– When we look at the figures for the death toll in Norway and compare them with Sweden, it doesn’t seem like there is that much difference. When it comes to influenza deaths in recent years, we are working to get a more detailed picture of them, but we cannot see that there are particularly high death rates in recent years related to influenza in Norway.
Tegnell’s explanation: that’s why so many died early in Sweden
The Norwegian Director of Infection Control He also says that he has not been able to see any significant excess mortality in Norway in recent years in terms of the total number of deaths.
– From what we can see, it is not the flu that is behind the big difference between Sweden and Norway.
Frode Forland says he cannot give a single explanation for the high death toll from covid-19 in Sweden, but he believes there are several reasons for this:
– But it is easy to believe that the main reason is that more older people were infected with covid-19 in Sweden than in Norway.
Looking at the situation at the moment says Frode Forland that there are no big differences between countries:
– It goes a little up and a little down, mainly down. As in the regions of Sweden. And we are at a low level in all of Norway, apart from three regions that have outbreaks in progress. These are Bergen, Sarpsborg-Fredrikstad, and some smaller eruptions in Oslo. Otherwise, the rest of the country is at a very low level with little spread of the infection. But the three outbreaks mean that we reached the Swedish level.
Test Corona at the Hurtigruten terminal in Bergen in late August.
Photo: Marit Hommedal
Frode Forland says that he it hopes to be able to keep the infection at such a level that borders between countries can be opened a little more stable.
– We are happy that infection rates have also done well in Sweden. I think it’s because they’ve put a lot of effort into testing, infection tracking, and quarantine the same way we do in Norway. It provides a good situation for the fall.
What do you think Sweden can go from 50 to 500 people when it comes to public gatherings?
– It is important to do this at the right time and it is best done in outdoor locations such as football stadiums Here what we comment should go from 200 to a higher figure. But there are no decisions about it. Locally, as in Bergen, they are down to 50. And when it comes to private meetings, they are down to 10 compared to the rest of Norway, which is 20. I think this is a sensible strategy.
The Norwegian Infection Control Authority, like the Swedish one, is concerned that local outbreaks could spread and force a nationwide shutdown. Therefore, care is taken to combat local outbreaks in order to quickly gain control.
Do you see that there may be more local efforts this fall?
– It is probable. We think there will be little waves and we don’t know where the next one will go.
Also read: Finland’s head of health security does not fully share Tegnell’s flu theory
