New Covid-19 measures issued by the Norwegian Government (03.01.2021)

New Covid-19 measures issued by the Norwegian Government (03.01.2021)

In a press conference on Sunday the 3rd of January 2021,  the Norwegian Government issued new Covid-19 measures that will be in effect, initially, from 04.01.2021 to 18.01.2021. These strengthened national control measures are introduced in an effort to maintain control of the spread of infection and limit new increases. The government urges all citizens to give their best efforts in reducing mobility and contacts as we face the strongest measures since April 2020.

Recommendations for everyone across the country

Social contact

• Do not receive visitors at home and do not visit others. Wait 14 days for private visits. This does not apply to close friends and relatives of those in the last phase of life. Those who live alone may receive one or two persons as regular visitors or alternatively visit one household regularly. Children may visit other children from their cohort from kindergarten or school.
• All organized leisure activities, sports activities, cultural events and gatherings indoors are recommended to be postponed until after 18 January. This also applies to all indoor activities that bring children and young people together across classes / cohorts. – New

Travel

• Avoid all unnecessary travel within and outside of Norway. You may travel to your cabin together with the people in your household. The rules and advice from the local and national councils apply.

Schools and education

• All teaching and all planned events at universities, colleges and vocational colleges (universiteter, høgskoler og fagskoler) will be digital until 18 January. – New
• All middle- and secondary schools (ungdomsskoler og videregående skoler), will be organised at red preparedness level. – New 
• There are no national guidelines for closing down folk high schools (folkehøgskole) or Bible schools. The folk high schools follow recommendations and guidelines from local health authorities.

Work

• All who can work from home, should do so.– New

Shops

• Shopping centres and shops should have entrance control and limit how many people that may be in the shop at the same time. This is to ensure that the distance can be maintained. In the next few days, the government will consider whether number restrictions and access control should be laid down in regulations. – New

Sport

• Outdoors activities may take place if one-meter distance can be upheld.
• Professional sports are exempt from the measures on special grounds.

Rules for the whole country

Private gatherings and events

• A maximum of five people at private gatherings outside their own home, such as a birthday party in rented premises. If there are more than five in the same household, of course, everyone in the household can meet. – New
• A maximum of ten people at indoor sports events, cultural events, seminars, ceremonies, etc., still 200 people where everyone in the audience sits in fixed seats. At funerals, there can be up to 50 people, even if the seats are not fixed. – New
• In any case, most of these events will not be in line with national recommendations and should therefore be postponed or canceled.

Nightlife and eateries

• It is prohibited for pubs or restaurants to serve alcohol, but these establishments may remain open. – New