On Friday, Hanne Edøy Lossius published a Facebook post which she describes as a sigh of relief and a prayer for more attention to the corona situation in Finnmark. Lossius is a municipal doctor in Berlevåg, but does not speak on behalf of the municipality in this context.
– The Facebook post was probably a request for more attention to the situation in Finnmark. Many municipalities in Norway are lagging behind as a result of the geographical redistribution of vaccines. In Berlevåg, we will start vaccinating those who are 65 years and younger from next week. In comparison, 18-year-olds are called in for vaccination in Bergen, Lossius tells Dagbladet.
– I want to make people aware of the growing infection trend in Finnmark. Here we have completely different resources for intensive care, completely different distances and completely different logistical challenges related to the transfer of sick corona patients. Now it is urgent to speed up the vaccination for us as well. I hope that you can prioritize the districts also when you get control of the situation in the big cities.
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Infection in Troms and Finnmark
On Friday, Berlevåg municipality stated that three new cases of infection were registered, and that a total of 15 infected people had thus been registered in the municipality. About 300 of the municipality’s 932 inhabitants were quarantined on Friday.
The National Institute of Public Health stated in its latest weekly report that the number of new cases of infection in Troms and Finnmark has been at a consistently low level for several weeks, but that from week 20 onwards they have risen sharply. FHI points out the large eruption in Hammerfest, as well as eruptions in Alta, Harstad and Tromsø, as reasons for the increase in the county.
– I have been to both southern and northern Norway during the pandemic. I have seen how the population in northern Norway has acted in solidarity with the population in southern Norway, and of course followed all the national measures that have been, says Lossius and continues:
– It has been difficult for people in Berlevåg as well, even when the spread of infection was low. For example, children have not had normal access to leisure activities. That said, I think it’s great that children in both Oslo and Berlevåg are allowed to play football.
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Differences
Lossius points out differences in the attention related to the corona situation in Oslo and Berlevåg.
– I feel that we are not mentioned. There is no feature on “Dagsrevyen” that there is a lockdown here now. At the same time, we get to see the Prime Minister celebrate with outdoor beer, and that the serving times are extended in Oslo. When the spread of infection increased in Oslo, the pub in Berlevåg closed without us having a single case of infection at the time, she says and repeats her call to the authorities:
– Now it would have been nice if we had increased the pace of vaccination in the affected municipalities in Finnmark as well. We will have a completely different situation here than in Oslo if many become seriously ill with covid-19. I do not disagree with the government’s decision to prioritize vaccinating the population in Oslo, but now we also need vaccines, and I hope that people understand that.
