Almost generalized mask in Oslo, "
social bubbles
" ... Rather spared by the Covid-19, Norway presented on Monday a battery of measures to guard against the scenario observed elsewhere in Europe where outdated authorities must consider more responses drastic.
“
You can tweak the screw now (...) or take strong action later,
” Prime Minister Erna Solberg said.
"
We have chosen the strategy of prudence with small restrictions now
."
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As a result of its geographic remoteness, low population density and scrupulous respect for health precautions, the Nordic country of 5.7 million people has so far avoided the worst.
Only 17,908 cases of the new coronavirus, including 279 fatalities, had been officially recorded there on Monday.
Much less than elsewhere in Europe, especially in Sweden, a country with a population that is certainly twice as large but where the number of cases stood at 110,594 on Friday, including 5,933 fatalities.
With 37.7 cases of the novel coronavirus per 100,000 population in the past two weeks, Norway occupies an enviable last place in statistics from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
But, if it is slower than elsewhere, a recent upsurge in cases also raises concerns about the arrival of a second wave like the one currently sweeping through countries such as France, Spain, Great Britain or Poland.
The municipality of Oslo, which concentrates a large part of the national cases, opened the ball on Monday by unveiling an arsenal of bans and recommendations.
Already compulsory in public transport where physical distancing is not possible, the wearing of a mask will also be imposed in all public spaces where it is difficult to respect the distance meter.
Among other measures supposed to come into force on Thursday, the Norwegian capital also recommends not having social contacts with more than ten people per week and the bars, already forced to stop serving at midnight, will no longer be able to accept new guests afterwards. 10:00 p.m. (9:00 p.m. GMT).
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While around 300 new weekly cases were detected in the city of 700,000 inhabitants in September, that number rose to 425 last week.
Save Christmas
“
The figures tell us that the infection is increasing today in Oslo despite the most severe measures in Norway.
That worries me,
”Mayor Raymond Johansen said at a press conference.
"
We are putting in place stricter measures to keep society as open as possible, so that we do not end up in a situation where a curfew is the only thing that remains in our toolbox
", a- he argues.
Other European countries such as France, Italy and Spain have already resorted to such curfews locally, and faced with the surge in cases, the hypothesis of a re-containment even seems to take shape in the hexagon.
Read also: Covid-19: Europe further tightens its restrictions, the 10,000 dead bar crossed in Germany
After Oslo, the Norwegian government has also announced a set of measures and recommendations at the national level: "
social bubbles
" with the recommendation to limit the number of guests at home to five, tightening of quarantine rules for foreign workers while the rebound recorded is largely due to “
imported
” cases, particularly from Poland.
“
We are facing the most delicate situation since March to stop the spread,
” said Solberg.
"
If we act vigorously now, we are much more likely to be able to celebrate Christmas normally with the whole family
."
Even Halloween should be saved: children will be able to launch their "
tricks or treat
" ("
prank or candy
") as long as they stick to the "
cohorts
" already defined in their nurseries or schools.