On Sunday afternoon, the Norwegian government decided to announce a number of new anti-coronavirus measures.
Among other things, the government wants all organized leisure activities and sports activities indoors to be postponed until January 18.
According to the government’s recommendation, all organized leisure activities, sports activities, cultural events, and indoor gatherings should be postponed until after January 18.
This also applies to all indoor activities that involve children and young people together across classes and cohorts.
Alcohol serving ban
Prime Minister Erna Solberg (H) also asked Norwegians to avoid private visits for two weeks.
“I now ask that everyone joins in an effort to avoid a new wave of infection,” Solberg noted in a press release.
According to the government’s recommendation, all Norwegians should avoid having guests at home and wait 14 days for private visits.
“There will be exceptions for necessary home services and visits to people who are in the final phase of life. Children in kindergartens and primary schools can have visits from their own cohort,” the government explained in a press release.
In addition, a ban on private gatherings of more than five people outside their own homes is introduced.
A national ban on the serving of alcohol at restaurants and events is also being introduced.
All shopping centers and shops should introduce restrictions
All malls and stores should introduce restrictions on the number of visitors, the government further recommends.
Shopping centers and shops should introduce restrictions so that it is possible for shoppers to keep their distance.
Infection increasing around Norway
The intervention measures have been introduced due to concerns that Norway is now at a dangerous turning point.
According to the FHI, the R-number, i.e., the reproduction number, is now calculated at 1.3.
That means that each person infected with COVID-19 infects 1.3 new people on average.
In several places in Norway, the infection has increased recently, even though the Christmas holidays’ full effect has not yet become apparent.
The infection situation has been out of control at several locations in recent weeks.
The Hitra Municipality has asked FHI for more vaccines than planned as a result of the ongoing corona outbreak.
In Trondheim and Stavanger, the infection has also increased recently. In Oslo, infection rates have also been high in recent weeks.
This weekend, the government asked the students to wait to return from the Christmas celebration.
In an attempt to reduce the pressure of infection, there will be no physical education at campuses before January 18.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
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