Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday
Find out what’s going on in Norway on Thursday with The Local’s short roundup of important news.
Health minister says Covid measures will be eased next week
The government will hold a press conference next week where it will announce relief to the current Covid-19 rules, health minister Ingvild Kjerkol told broadcaster TV2.
“We have said at the beginning of next week we will make an assessment of the overall measures. We can see that we can tolerate more infection now, so everyone can prepare for it (easing of measures)," Kjerkol said.
Kjerkol said that the country’s Covid measures would be gradually lifted over a relatively short time when asked by the broadcaster whether most measures could be eased in a month’s time.
“It sounds like a likely scenario (that most measures are lifted within a month). We will come back when we have a message about what relief will come and in what order,” she told TV2.
NIPH: Most measures can be phased out
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), which provides professional advice to the government relating to Covid restrictions, has said that most measures can be gradually phased out.
“Most measures against the epidemic can now gradually be reduced over a short period of time without, in the long run, leading to a significantly increased disease burden. The measures with the greatest burden on children and young people should be removed first,” the NIPH wrote in an updated risk assessment of the current infection wave.
READ ALSO: Norway registers over 20,000 daily Covid-19 cases for the first time
Great demand for labour and fall in unemployment
Unemployment in Norway fell in Norway towards the backend of last year, and the demand for labour rose, figures from Statistic Norway have found.
During August and November of 2021, unemployment fell from four percent to 3.5 percent, and the number of jobs in total grew by over two percent.
The stats firm said that the largest decline in unemployment occurred among men, who have had a higher unemployment rate than women throughout the pandemic.
The stats firm also said that even though unemployment was back to pre-pandemic levels, there was still a demand for labour and a record number of vacancies.
READ ALSO: Tips for finding an English speaking job in Norway
Fire destroys historic buildings in Hamar
More than 40 people were evacuated, and several shops and apartments were damaged by a fire in the centre of Hamar, southern Norway, on Wednesday Norway.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown, and firefighters were alerted to the incident at around 11pm.
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Health minister says Covid measures will be eased next week
The government will hold a press conference next week where it will announce relief to the current Covid-19 rules, health minister Ingvild Kjerkol told broadcaster TV2.
“We have said at the beginning of next week we will make an assessment of the overall measures. We can see that we can tolerate more infection now, so everyone can prepare for it (easing of measures)," Kjerkol said.
Kjerkol said that the country’s Covid measures would be gradually lifted over a relatively short time when asked by the broadcaster whether most measures could be eased in a month’s time.
“It sounds like a likely scenario (that most measures are lifted within a month). We will come back when we have a message about what relief will come and in what order,” she told TV2.
NIPH: Most measures can be phased out
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), which provides professional advice to the government relating to Covid restrictions, has said that most measures can be gradually phased out.
“Most measures against the epidemic can now gradually be reduced over a short period of time without, in the long run, leading to a significantly increased disease burden. The measures with the greatest burden on children and young people should be removed first,” the NIPH wrote in an updated risk assessment of the current infection wave.
READ ALSO: Norway registers over 20,000 daily Covid-19 cases for the first time
Great demand for labour and fall in unemployment
Unemployment in Norway fell in Norway towards the backend of last year, and the demand for labour rose, figures from Statistic Norway have found.
During August and November of 2021, unemployment fell from four percent to 3.5 percent, and the number of jobs in total grew by over two percent.
The stats firm said that the largest decline in unemployment occurred among men, who have had a higher unemployment rate than women throughout the pandemic.
The stats firm also said that even though unemployment was back to pre-pandemic levels, there was still a demand for labour and a record number of vacancies.
READ ALSO: Tips for finding an English speaking job in Norway
Fire destroys historic buildings in Hamar
More than 40 people were evacuated, and several shops and apartments were damaged by a fire in the centre of Hamar, southern Norway, on Wednesday Norway.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown, and firefighters were alerted to the incident at around 11pm.
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