Norway lifted, as of last Wednesday, most of the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, given the lesser severity of the Omicron variant and the high rate of the vaccinated population. Bars and restaurants will also be able to sell alcohol after 11:00 p.m., capacity limitations at public events and restrictions in educational centers disappear, and teleworking will no longer be necessary.
Until February 17, the use of masks indoors will be mandatory, however, when the safety distance of 1 meter cannot be kept and other recommendations will be in force. “In short, we went from detailed rules to the distance meter, the mask and common sense,” summarized the Norwegian Minister of Health, IngvildKjerkol.
The Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Store, pointed out that society must “learn to live” with the coronavirus. Norway thus joins other European countries, such as Denmark, which eliminated all restrictions yesterday, or Finland, which has announced that it will do so throughout this month.
After registering a sharp increase in infections in mid-December, with record numbers of infected and hospitalized, the Norwegian authorities introduced a series of restrictions, which they partially eased a month later. Norway is one of the countries least affected by the pandemic in Europe, with 1,440 deaths, which is equivalent to a mortality rate of 26.93 per 100,000 inhabitants, half that of Denmark, 5 times less than Sweden, and 7 times less than Spain. 90.9% of the population over 18 years old have received the complete schedule of the vaccine.
