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The spread of the infection is increasing in the Norwegian capital. In three weeks, Oslo has gone from 113 to 306 new cases per week and in the last two weeks, more than 20 out of 100,000 people have carried the virus in all parts of the city. The entire city is now classified as red, the highest of the various Norwegian infection control levels.
On Monday, the city of Oslo decided to take stronger measures to curb the infection. People are encouraged to wear mouth guards when traveling by train, subway, bus or tram, and in all places where it is not possible to stay within a meter distance, such as in shopping malls and grocery stores. Anyone who may be asked to work from home is encouraged to register their guests and gatherings of more than ten people are prohibited in private homes.
The new restrictions take effect at 12 noon on Tuesday and apply for two weeks.
– The situation in Oslo is serious. We must stop this development and we must stop now, says City Councilman Raymond Johansen according to NRK.
According to Frode Forland, director of infection control at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health NIPH, the municipality of Oslo itself has decided on the measures after speaking with the authority this weekend. But he is behind the restrictions.
– The spread of the infection is at too high a level, so it is good that they take steps to bring it down to a level that is acceptable, he tells DN.
Similar measures have been active in Norway’s second-largest city, Bergen, for two weeks and, according to Forland, they have paid off.
– They have seen a positive development. Infection rates are declining and the trend is clear that things are going in the right direction.
He describes the situation in Oslo as “worrisome” but says it does not look the same across Norway. The experience of the Norwegians is that it takes two to three weeks to get the situation under control after tightening the restrictions.
– It is important that you hit before it spreads too much, otherwise you will lose control.
A large part of the spread of infection takes place in private settings, hence the limitations of crowds at home, he says.
– The spread of the infection is driven especially by private gatherings and by young people celebrating and holding parties at home.
Swedish Public Health Agency He is skeptical about the widespread use of mouth guards, but has opened that they can be useful in certain situations, such as in public transport congestion or in large local outbreaks.
Frode Forland, for his part, is convinced that mouth guards can be important in curbing infection. He believes that they have a positive effect in situations where people cannot maintain a distance of one meter.
– They help, even if they don’t help as much as keeping their distance. One meter of distance reduces the risk of infection by 80 percent. Wearing a mouth guard reduces the risk by 40 percent.
The director of infection control emphasizes that mouth protection primarily reduces the risk of infecting others.
– It is an act of solidarity.
Read more:
British virus experts: the country is heading in the wrong direction
Norwegian director of infection control does not believe Tegnell’s explanation
Professor of Philosophy on Spread of Infections: “Young People Are Not Unusually Irresponsible”
