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SKELLEFTEÅ. Västerbotten has introduced severe restrictions after the corona infection spread in the region.
The Northvolt project has been singled out as a possible culprit and staff there are sounding the alarm about the infection.
– I think you should stop for a while, turn it off, says Erika Johnsson, who works with the Northvolt project.
Sandra Lindahl and Erika Johnsson step out of the white sampling tent outside the Northvolt project in Skellefteå. The giant construction underway will be a new battery factory.
They stand a bit far off waiting to receive their test results. It’s minus 20 degrees and there are several people outside waiting to be sampled.
A negative corona test is required to enter the workplace. The reason is a major corona outbreak in Västerbotten and where 150 of the 800 cases found last week have been linked to the Northvolt project.
More than 1,000 people work daily on the project in the town of just over 32,000 inhabitants.
Photo: PONTUS ORRE
Erika Jonsson and Sandra Lindahl work as cleaners at the facility. They think that work in the factory should stop.
“Constructed pause”
Both Sandra Lindahl and Erika Johnsson work inside the barracks.
– It’s quite chaos, there are many who test positive now, says Sandra Lindahl.
Erika Johnsson completes:
– It doesn’t feel good. It feels unsafe and it doesn’t feel good to be in the middle of the infection hotbed, that’s all.
Sandra Lindahl and Erika Johnsson welcome the new restrictions that have now been introduced in the Västerbotten region.
At the same time, they would have liked to see other measures for the Northvolt project.
– I think it should be on pause for a while, turn it off. Many restaurants have had to close. Stop construction to, perhaps, stop the spread, says Erika Johnsson.
Sandra Lindahl is going the same way.
– I also think you should pause and continue later when it has calmed down, she says.
Crowded in the hallways
Sandra Lindahl and Erika Johnsson describe the barracks where they work as crowded and that many people move close to each other. Despite, for example, trying to distribute the staff at different lunch times.
– There are many barracks lined up, narrow corridors, there are many people at lunch. People clump into groups, I think it feels like a normal work day, except for some parts, says Sandra Lindahl.
For specialist physician Peter Lindblom, this Wednesday is a quick shakeup. Enter and exit the covid-19 sampling shop. It must be tested and the sampling results must be provided to the personnel.
Photo: PONTUS ORRE
Workers are screened before they can come in and work.
Photo: PONTUS ORRE
All workers stand outside the test tent waiting to be evaluated or receive a response.
Challenge to arrive with information
Peter Lindblom is concerned about the situation.
– It is serious, now that we have received this mutation from England, he says.
Peter Lindblom points out some challenges in relation to the outbreak.
– I think it is the information that is most important of all. There are many nationalities so it is really difficult. We tell everyone here that this is an incredibly important situation and that they should not go out into society, he says.
Photo: PONTUS ORRE
Before ten o’clock, four people tested positive. Dr. Peter Lindblom comes out with the test.
“Do not worry”
Robert Långström and Kenneth Bergman are also waiting in the cold for a crown test.
– We will wait 15 minutes to see what results we get, says Robert Långström.
They both work outdoors at the construction site.
– It’s a little better than being inside. But I’m not that worried, says Kenneth Bergman.
Unlike most other parts of the country, the development of the infection in Västerbotten is going in the wrong direction.
In accordance with the new restrictions announced by Region Västerbotten on Tuesday, all Northvolt employees and their families are encouraged to avoid being in the community altogether to minimize encounters with other people.
New restrictions
Before 10 at night, four new cases of covid have been detected, announces the specialist doctor Peter Lindblom.
He leaves the sampling tent and starts yelling other names and results.
– Negative, negative, negative, shouts Peter Lindblom.
For Sandra, Erika, Kenneth, and Robert, the workday can begin. All have received a negative result on their crowned tests.
Photo: PONTUS ORRE
Batterifabriken Northvolt.
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