From today, all travelers to Norway have to undergo corona testing. Here are the details

Corona testingPhoto: Fredrik Hagen / NTB

From Saturday at 10 o’clock, everyone traveling to Norway must test for COVID-19. 

The test must be performed as soon as possible and no later than one day after arrival. 

Test capacity at the borders will be increased and there will be restrictions when crossing the border.

Testing should be done at the airport or other border stations. If that is not possible, the travelers must contact the local municipality or another test station to arrange testing.

Testing is free of charge.

Norwegian citizens who come from abroad and refuse to be tested can be fined for violating the Infection Control Act, while foreign citizens risk being expelled from the country, Mæland told news bureau NTB on January 1.

Some exceptions

Children under the age of twelve do not need to be tested.

Some exceptions are also made for, among others, people in critical social functions, border commuters, long-distance transport drivers, and diplomats.

The obligation to test for travelers from “red” countries is based on assessments from the National Institute of Public Health (FHI) and the Norwegian Directorate of Health.

The measure will be reconsidered after four weeks. Violation of the test obligation can result in fines, the government stated.

Border stations

As a main rule, testing shall be done at border stations. The test capacity at the border stations can be low at first. Therefore, testing must be done as soon as possible or within 24 hours after arrival at the latest.

“People who are offered testing at the border station must comply,” Monica Mæland, Minister of Justice and Public Security, said in a press release.

There will be an increase in personnel at testing stations and new stations will be established.

There will also be a need to increase capacity at testing stations at Oslo Airport Gardermoen and at several of Norway’s border stations controlling traffic by sea and by land.

There are about 110 approved border stations to Norway. They are all open, but several have reduced their operating hours, and several are without police control.

Border stations might be closed in order to channel travelers to border stations with both police and health care personnel or border stations with police control.

“I will decide which border stations to close and which groups can be exempted so that they can still use closed border stations,” Mæland added on December 31.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today

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