Despite the COVID-19 pandemic now raging in a number of European countries, assistant health director Espen Nakstad, on Tuesday, had an optimistic message for the people in Norway.
“There are only 18 people in hospital with COVID-19 in Norway. The outbreak is still manageable. We can succeed in having control if we persevere”, Nakstad said at a press conference on Tuesday.
The acting assistant health director referred to the local outbreaks in cities such as Oslo and Bergen.
“If we manage to reduce the infection, we can probably continue to go to work and school this autumn, unlike in many other countries”, he said.
In addition to benefits such as children being able to pursue leisure activities almost as normal, that unemployment will not increase, and that planned health care can be implemented, Nakstad believes that it will also lead to people not getting as wary of the infection control rules.
“We will not get as tired of the infection control measures, simply because there will be fewer of them”, he said.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
The rate of infection appears to be constant, but to *reduce* it requires facemasks to be worn by everyone … except maybe 2 year olds who throw fits on airplanes … out in public.
The government only “recommending” wearing facemasks on public transportation is NOT helping. Yesterday, I went out and on the buses I was on – some of them very crowded even though not in rush hour – only I and 1 or 2 other people were wearing facemasks. And the drivers weren’t, even just for their own protection (which facemasks *can* give a little of, it has finally been confirmed).
On the other hand, I am astonished the virus hasn’t already taken off again like it did 6 months ago, without everyone facemasking.