The handling of the pandemic in Norway has generally been good, but children and young people have been hit hard by the measures. Furthermore, the country had too few intensive care units, according to the Corona Commission.
The Commission’s leader Egil Matsen presented the second report at a press conference in Marmorhallen on Tuesday.
“Norway is among the countries in Europe that have had the lowest mortality and the least reduction in economic activity,” the report stated.
Furthermore, the Commission pointed out that a number of individuals have made an extraordinary effort in the health services, the municipalities, and the state administration. An impressive ability and flexibility have also been demonstrated in a number of industries, the report noted.
At the same time, it is stated that the authorities were not sufficiently prepared to face a pandemic of such magnitude. The pandemic led to heavy pressure on some intensive care units at times. The report states that the municipal health authorities were not well equipped.
Overall, the vaccination is highlighted as a successful effort. The report also concludes that measures to prevent imported infections were characterized by urgency and constant adjustments.
Young people and children
Children and young people were hit hard, and the authorities were not able to adequately protect children and young people, according to the report.
The Solberg government’s explicit goal was to shield children and young people during the pandemic. But the Corona Commission believes that the infection control measures have placed significant restrictions on their life through an important phase of life.
“Slightly simplified, we can say that children and young people were more affected by infection control measures than by infection and that there is a difference between what you miss out on in one year when you are 16 and when you are 45,” the report noted.
Intensive care preparedness
Another main finding in the report is that the intensive care preparedness in the hospitals was too poor when the pandemic hit.
In connection with the finding, the Commission made a number of recommendations:
* More intensive care nurses should be trained to strengthen the capacity of the hospitals during ordinary operations and to strengthen emergency preparedness.
* Hospitals should use support staff in intensive care units to a greater extent than today.
* A register for intensive care nurses should be established.
Vaccination strategy
With regard to vaccination, the Corona Commission believes that the government should have introduced geographical flexibility earlier. But overall, they believe that the process of vaccinating the population has been good.
In addition, they believe the authorities succeeded in obtaining vaccines for the population.
“The processes showed, however, that the systems for obtaining vaccines were vulnerable.”
The Commission noted that Norway was dependent on the good will and help from the EU and individual countries in Europe, especially Sweden.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
Do you have a news tip for Norway Today? We want to hear it. Get in touch at info@norwaytoday.no
Norway’s extremely low – in comparison to Sweden’s extremely high, next door – death count shows that the handling of the pandemic was indeed good in Norway.
I still believe that immediate, mandatory facemasking could have averted the very radical and un-typically Conservative – and economically and socially damaging – lockdown which came just in time to avoid Britain’s and America’s catastrophe, but the extremely low death count is the bottom line.
Well done, Norway. Folks back in the States are highly envious.