Connect with us

Health

Norway to end most pandemic restrictions

Norway will scrap nearly all its remaining COVID-19 lockdown measures as high levels of coronavirus infections are unlikely to jeopardize health services, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said on Saturday.

The Nordic country, which removed most curbs on February 1, will still keep some restrictions for the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. The new rules will take effect from Saturday.

For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.

“We are removing almost all coronavirus measures,” Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told a news conference.

“The coronavirus pandemic is no longer a major health threat to most of us. The omicron virus causes far less serious illness and we are well protected by vaccines.”

Norwegians will no longer need to stay at least one meter (3 feet) apart nor wear face masks in crowded settings. The removal of these measures mean nightclubs and other affected entertainment venues can resume full business.

In addition, infected individuals no longer need to isolate themselves. Instead, they are recommended to stay home for four days.

Travelers to Norway will no longer need to register their arrivals ahead of time and the government is also scrapping the previous requirement for proof of a negative test before departure for some visitors, such as unvaccinated people.

Norway in December went into partial lockdown to combat the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant.

Visitors to Svalbard, where health services are limited, must continue to test before and after arrival, while international charter flights to the archipelago remain suspended, the government said.

Read more:

Saudi Arabia’s daily COVID-19 infections drop below 2,000 as vaccination rates climb

China approves Pfizer’s COVID pill Paxlovid for mild to moderate cases

Germany considers easing COVID-19 curbs, says infections reaching peak

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Health

Syria: WHO Regional Director calls for greater investment in health sector

Failure to invest in the health of the Syrian people will only deepen instability in the war-ravaged country and pose threats to regional and global security, a senior official with the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.

Continue Reading

Health

World News in Brief: Vaccine ‘patches’ trial shows promise, lowering catheter infection risk, Guantanamo detainee facing revictimisation

Few enjoy having injections and if you have children, you probably like them even less when it’s time for their mandated vaccine shots.

Continue Reading

Health

No sign yet of H5N1 bird flu spreading between humans, says WHO chief

The H5N1 avian influenza virus has so far shown no signs of adapting to allow human to human transmission, the UN health agency said on Wednesday, urging continued surveillance.

Continue Reading

Trending