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Norwegian health authorities advise against unnecessary travel over Easter

Frazer Norwell
Frazer Norwell - [email protected]
Norwegian health authorities advise against unnecessary travel over Easter
Photo by Lukas Kloeppel from Pexels

Health authorities in Norway are telling the public to avoid unnecessary travel over the Easter holidays following record levels of Covid-19 infections.

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Many people in Norway normally travel during the Easter holidays either to ski resorts, their country homes (cabins) or to see friends and family.

However, Assistant Director of the Norwegian Directorate of Health, Espen Nakstad has told newspaper Dagbladet that people should prepare for an Easter without travel.  

He explains that the increasing infection rate, and outbreaks in several parts of Norway, mean that the advice is changing quickly and could be altered again.

“Now that we are seeing increasing infection in more and more regions, most recently in Haugalandet, it is good advice to limit travel to relatives and friends who live elsewhere,” Nakstad told Dagbladet.

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“As the situation has developed in recent days, you should prepare for an Easter without visits and gatherings wherever you are,” he added.

READ MORE: These are Norway´s Covid-19 guidelines for the Easter holidays

Nakstad, has also warned that there is a great risk that infection will spread during the Easter holidays and during the coming weeks.

Health Minister Bent Høie echoed the advice.

“You should not visit family in other parts of the country”, Høie told national broadcaster NRK.

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The health minister also told NRK that this applies especially to those who live in areas with stringent measures such as Oslo and Viken County but want to travel home.

“For example, if you are in Oslo or Viken but you are originally from Bergen, you should not travel to stay with family or in-laws,” he told NRK.

Høie also told newspaper VG that students that live in university halls or that don't live with others can visit family at Easter provided that they have their own room and are able to socially distance. 

"There is a difference between students who live in dormitories, or haven't moved away from home yet and students who have moved out and are established in a new city with cohabitants and children. A person who has lived in Oslo for many years and happens to be a student does not get a free card to travel to visit their parents," Høie said. 

He also added that students that can travel should follow the necessary rules and guidelines.  

 

 

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