Norwegian health chiefs mull new national Covid measures as cases rise
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) and the Norwegian Directorate of Health will recommend the government adopt new national Covid-19 measures to combat rising infection rates.
On Tuesday, a record 2,126 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Norway, the highest number of daily coronavirus cases recorded since the pandemic began.
As a result, Norway's health authorities are working on new recommendations on measures government could implement nationally.
READ MORE: Norway records highest number of daily Covid-19 cases since pandemic began
"Now we see that the curves are heading upwards at full speed. It will, in a short time, affect planned activity in hospitals and many other patients. Therefore it is necessary to go through the measures and see if we can adjust it a bit," Bjørn Guldvog, director of health at the Norwegian Directorate of Health, told public broadcaster NRK.
The health director emphasised to NRK that this wouldn't necessarily mean a return to previous infection control rules but did say that measures such as random Covid testing at the border and more testing for unvaccinated healthcare workers with lots of patient contact.
"For the health workers, this is not just about themselves, but it's also about the patients they are responsible for," Guldvog said.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) has said that it too is working on new Covid rules and advice for the government.
"I can confirm we are working intensively with advising the government on future measures. Together, with the Norwegian Directorate of Public Health, we are making assessments of ways to make current measures work better as well as making assessments of new measures," Camilla Stoltenberg, director of the NIPH, told newspaper VG.
One of the things the NIPH was looking at with the Norwegian Directorate of Health was the reintroduction of Covid-19 certificates for domestic use.
Covid passports haven't been required to attend large events in Norway since late September when the previous government lifted most Covid measures in Norway.
Minister of Health Ingvild Kjerkol said that the government would act quickly on any recommendations it received from health authorities.
"We have given an assignment to our agencies to continuously assess the need for regional and national measures. If we receive recommendations on this, we will quickly take a position on it," Kjerkol told newswire NTB.
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On Tuesday, a record 2,126 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Norway, the highest number of daily coronavirus cases recorded since the pandemic began.
As a result, Norway's health authorities are working on new recommendations on measures government could implement nationally.
READ MORE: Norway records highest number of daily Covid-19 cases since pandemic began
"Now we see that the curves are heading upwards at full speed. It will, in a short time, affect planned activity in hospitals and many other patients. Therefore it is necessary to go through the measures and see if we can adjust it a bit," Bjørn Guldvog, director of health at the Norwegian Directorate of Health, told public broadcaster NRK.
The health director emphasised to NRK that this wouldn't necessarily mean a return to previous infection control rules but did say that measures such as random Covid testing at the border and more testing for unvaccinated healthcare workers with lots of patient contact.
"For the health workers, this is not just about themselves, but it's also about the patients they are responsible for," Guldvog said.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) has said that it too is working on new Covid rules and advice for the government.
"I can confirm we are working intensively with advising the government on future measures. Together, with the Norwegian Directorate of Public Health, we are making assessments of ways to make current measures work better as well as making assessments of new measures," Camilla Stoltenberg, director of the NIPH, told newspaper VG.
One of the things the NIPH was looking at with the Norwegian Directorate of Health was the reintroduction of Covid-19 certificates for domestic use.
Covid passports haven't been required to attend large events in Norway since late September when the previous government lifted most Covid measures in Norway.
Minister of Health Ingvild Kjerkol said that the government would act quickly on any recommendations it received from health authorities.
"We have given an assignment to our agencies to continuously assess the need for regional and national measures. If we receive recommendations on this, we will quickly take a position on it," Kjerkol told newswire NTB.
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