Oslo tightens anti-corona measures after infection spike, introduces “social bubbles”

All the corona measures in Oslo will be continued, in addition to those that are being tightened, Oslo City Councilor Raymond Johansen announced.

Last week, 425 newly infected people were registered in Oslo, which shows that the infection in Oslo is increasing even though it has the strictest measures in Norway.

“It worries me very much,” Oslo’s City Council leader said during a press conference about the corona situation in Oslo on Monday.

“We must continue to do what we can to establish control over the infection while keeping kindergartens and schools open,” he added.

In addition to the national infection control measures, here are some of the rules that have been in force in Oslo in recent weeks: 

• Prohibition of private gatherings with more than ten people
• Obligatory use of face masks in public transport when one cannot keep more than one meter of distance from others
• A maximum of 200 people can be present at outdoor events

“All these measures will be continued,” Johansen said.

Introduction of “social bubbles”

Furthermore, Oslo Municipality now recommends that the capital’s inhabitants do not have contact with more than ten people during a week.

“We recommend that the number of contacts during a week does not exceed ten people in social contexts, in addition to household members and kindergarten and primary school cohorts. 

“This means that people must begin to have an overview of their close contacts and generally limit the social interaction with others to a minimum,” Raymond Johansen said. 

Such social constraints are what has been internationally referred to as “social bubbles.”

The City Council leader also said that Oslo Municipality encourages the universities and the Ministry of Education to introduce digital lectures at colleges and universities whenever possible.

“We will continuously consider reporting serious violations of the infection control regulations and ask the police to prosecute such cases,” Johansen concluded.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today