The reopening of Norway is postponed a bit due to the May 17 celebrations. The next step will take place on May 27.
Prime Minister Erna Solberg announced the information at a press conference on Friday.
The government has previously said that the plan was to reopen more of Norwegian society in the “second half of May,” but the advice from the National Institute of Public Health (FHI) and the Norwegian Directorate of Health is now that the reopening must be postponed a bit.
The reopening continues
“The government believes it is justifiable to proceed with the reopening. On May 27, we go to step two, i.e., Thursday next week,” Solberg said.
The Prime Minister emphasized that there are outbreaks in individual municipalities which means that there will be stricter local rules in some places.
“That means that we are entering a period where there will be greater differences in the infection control rules,” Solberg added.
Global travel advice extended until July 1
Norway’s global travel advice is being extended until July 1. That means that all travel that is not strictly necessary is discouraged.
Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide (H) pointed out that the health authorities recommend avoiding travel abroad until a larger proportion of the population has been vaccinated.
The health authorities recommend that the number of trips abroad, including among people who have been fully vaccinated in Norway, is kept low until most of the adult population has been offered a vaccine.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the health authorities will return with more information about the travel advice before July 1.
Changes to quarantine hotel rules
The distinction between necessary and unnecessary travel is being removed on entry to Norway for travelers from the UK and EEA/Schengen countries with low infection rates – these travelers will not have to go to quarantine hotels from May 27.
> Travelers from the UK and some EEA/Schengen countries to be exempt from quarantine hotels
The following groups will be affected by the new quarantine hotel rules from Thursday, May 27:
- Travelers outside Europe must, in principle, got to quarantine hotels throughout the quarantine period until a negative test at the earliest after seven days.
- Travelers from European countries with fewer than 150 new infection cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days, and a maximum of 4% of those tested are positive, do not have to stay in quarantine hotels. They must carry out the quarantine at home or in another suitable quarantine place.
- Travelers from the United Kingdom and EEA/Schengen countries who have more than 150 infected per 100,000 must go to quarantine hotels until they have had a negative test taken after three days at the earliest. They must complete the quarantine at home or at another suitable quarantine location and can test themselves to get out of the quarantine at the earliest after seven days.
- Travelers from European countries with particularly high infection rates must be in quarantine hotels until a negative test is taken at the earliest after seven days. More information about this group will be announced later.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
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