Oslo’s secret list of potential new corona measures revealed

Norwegian health authorities have asked Oslo to introduce stricter coronavirus measures. 

The City Council is now considering tightening measures if the infection continues to spread.

According to news bureau NTB, Oslo’s local political leaders met on Saturday afternoon to assess the situation.

The meeting was scheduled after the Norwegian Directorate of Health a note to the City Council on Friday.

In the note, the Directorate made recommendations regarding the measures that Oslo should introduce to reduce the spread of infection.

Instead of deciding on new measures on Saturday, the City Council will instead try to strengthen compliance with the existing measures.

However, if the infection continues to spread, the municipality has several possible measures prepared.

Considering stricter measures

The City Council already announced that an obligation of wearing face masks might be introduced in public transport.

Oslo has also already announced that the maximum number of participants at indoor events may be reduced from 200 to 50 people and that restaurants may be required to register guests.

However, according to NTB, the City Council is also considering three more measures that could be introduced if the infection does subside:

1) Private gatherings of more than five people may be banned. The measure will not apply to people who are in the same household. Today, private gatherings of more than ten people in Oslo are already prohibited.

2) Admission to nightclubs could be stopped at 22 o’clock.

3) Certain limits may be imposed on events at upper secondary schools and universities.

Infection growth flattening out

It is not a given that the stricter measures will be imposed.

The ban on student events is currently not pressing as high infection rates among Oslo students have not been registered.

At the same time, the statistics indicate that the spread of the infection may now be flattening out in the capital.

On Saturday, the National Institute of Public Health’s (FHI) statistics showed that 272 new infection cases had been detected in Oslo since last Friday. 

In comparison, the number of infection cases increased from 207 to 310 in week 38.

On Friday, 52 new cases of infection were registered, a slight decrease from the previous day.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today