Fourth Covid vaccine dose may be recommended to more ahead of autumn wave
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) fears a new Covid wave triggered by declining immunity in the autumn.
Its assessment comes in its latest weekly report. While the spread of Covid has remained stable in Norway in recent weeks, the NIPH points to rising hospitalisations in other European countries.
Area director for infection control at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Trygve Ottersen, told public broadcaster NRK that a fourth vaccine dose may be recommended to more people.
"But the most important thing now is that those who have been recommended the vaccine take it. Because they are the ones who have the greatest risk," he added.
PM sees slip in polls as he celebrates a year in office
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has been in the top job for over a year but has suffered a slump in the polls.
According to a survey carried out by Respons Analyze for the Norwegian newspaper VG, one in three voters believes the PM is going a bad job, while only 25 percent said that he had been performing well in the role.
"It is understandable that people hold us (the government) and me responsible, and it is a responsibility I take, even if it does not necessarily make me popular," Støre told the paper.
Water levels in reservoirs rise
Norway is dependent on hydroelectric production to meet most of its energy needs, and low reservoir filling levels over the past year have contributed to soaring energy prices.
Overall, the level of filling in the water reservoirs in Norway was 73.4 percent at the end of last week. This is up four percentage points from the week before, according to figures from the Norwegian Directorate of Water Resources and Energy.
South-west and west Norway saw the biggest increases, with reservoirs rising 5.9 and 4.9 percentage points from the previous week.
Despite this, reservoirs are still low compared to a typical year, where the filling rate in autumn hits the 80 percent mark.
Housing construction in Norway may be brought to a complete halt this autumn
Expensive materials, rising interest rates and falling house prices may bring the construction of new homes to a complete stop.
Boligbyggelaget Obos - which is the country's largest housing developer - is considering putting several projects on hold, the newspaper Dagens Næringsliv reports.
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