The National Institute of Public Health continues the recommendation that people should wear face masks when crowded on public transport in Oslo.
The recommendation applies “until further notice”, it is stated in an announcement from FHI on Friday.
– “Distance is still the most important factor in preventing infection. face mask does not replace other infection control measures,” emphasizes department head, Line Vold.
On the 14th of August the government first issued advice on the use of face masks when it is not possible to keep at least one meter away from other passengers.
Children under secondary school age are not recommended to use a face mask, and children under the age of two should not use it, writes FHI.
In addition to Oslo, Bergen municipality has also advocated that people should use face masks on crowded public transport. NIPH states that they have a good dialogue with local authorities in Bergen and supports them in the conclusion they have drawn.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
Still only “recommending.” On any bus or in any train, only I and 1 or 2 other people are wearing facemasks.
However, the bottom line in all this is how many are in serious condition and how many are dying, and those numbers in Norway are still very small, happily, so ….
I went to my game club in Oslo, this last Wednesday night for the first time in 6 months. I was told that – *in my honor* 🙂 – the guys were separating the game tables widely … but I was still the only one wearing a facemask in our (face-to-face) games’ club. I played my new (free print and play) solitaire game Barbarossa Fast, so I was the only one *not* playing a game face to face … ironically. 🙂
Happily – miraculously – as far as I know, no one in our club has so far come down sick. (A couple other prime targets there, though: older, a few others overweight, ….) It was GREAT to be back with them.
But on public transportation facemasks *should* be mandatory.
The truly conservative/safety approach is better too much precaution/prevention than too little.