Corona in Europe – – Full speed into the fourth wave

– In most of Europe, the R-number is now pulled up more by reopening, partying and gatherings than the vaccination manages to pull it down. The virus is therefore leading the fight against vaccines in Europe right now and we are seeing a clear increase in infection in younger age groups.

This is what assistant health director Espen Rostrup Nakstad tells Dagbladet.

– In the risk zone

The spread of infection has recently gained momentum in several European countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain and our neighboring country Sweden. In the former, more than 30,000 new cases of infection were detected on Saturday.

In the Stockholm region, infection rates increased by 44 percent in the last week. However, the number of covid-19 admissions and deaths is relatively low in Sweden.

Sweden’s state epidemiologist from 2005 to 2013, Annika Linde (73), describes the development as ominous and believes that the risk of a fourth wave of infection is real.

– We are at risk of a new wave and it is important that everyone understands this, she says to Expressen, and argues that infection control measures be eased prematurely.

Dark numbers

On Friday, the European Agency for Communicable Disease Control (ECDC) announced that it feared the delta variant dominates in 19 EU countries. Nakstad tells Dagbladet that there may be large dark numbers for covid-19 in Europe.

– Because young people get milder symptoms and test themselves less often than older people, the dark numbers can be large. We also saw this last summer, but this time we are dealing with a significantly more contagious virus variant, he says.

In the UK, the infection is among young people aged 20 to 29 record high, according to the latest report from Public Health England. However, the number of new covid-19 admissions and deaths remains relatively low.

When can you get vaccinated?

The pace of vaccination is different around the country. Check your municipality’s website for updated status. No data in the test is sent to Dagbladet.– —

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– At full speed

Nakstad points to the delta variant as the reason why the arrow is pointing upwards in several European countries.

– I think we are at full speed into a fourth wave of infection with delta virus in Europe now, but probably there will not be as dramatic a wave of hospitalizations this time and far fewer deaths than last autumn, since more and more are protected by vaccine, says Nakstad.

He emphasizes that a fourth wave could easily lead to the spread of infection among many unvaccinated people who become seriously ill.

– We see that the USA and the UK are now registering a clear increase in admissions, mainly among the unvaccinated. A fourth wave of infections can therefore be dramatic in countries with low vaccination coverage, but it is much easier to deal with in countries with high population immunity, he says.

32.1 percent of the population in Norway is currently fully vaccinated, according to figures from National Institute of Public Health (NIPH).

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Are still vulnerable

On Friday, the government decided to introduce quarantine requirements for several popular holiday destinations. Both Crete, Spain and the Netherlands are dark red from Monday, which means quarantine hotels for unprotected travelers when they arrive in Norway. The same requirements already apply to Cyprus and the United Kingdom.

Deltavarianten now dominates in Norway, but the incidence varies in different counties, the National Institute of Public Health states in its fresh weekly report. It has long been expected that delta would become dominant in Norway during the summer. The variant was first discovered in India in October last year.

Nakstad points out that Norway has a high vaccination coverage among those over 65 – and around 95 percent of them have been vaccinated.

– But there are still more than 800,000 adults in Norway who are completely unvaccinated and many are waiting for the second dose, he emphasizes, and adds:

– Therefore, we are still vulnerable for another two to three months and it will be important to continue to have control over local outbreaks until more people have been vaccinated. If we manage to maintain control, it will be easier to live as normal and we will avoid an increase in hospitalizations among people who are waiting for a vaccine, says Nakstad.

At the end of July or the beginning of August, the government will decide whether it is justifiable to carry out further reopening of society, where, among other things, the recommendation of a maximum of 20 guests in the home and the requirement to serve alcohol at nightclubs can be removed.

Status step 3

Current steps. Introduced on Sunday 20 June at 12:00.

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Kindergartens, schools and SFO

Follows the traffic light model and local assessments.

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Universities, colleges and vocational colleges

More physical education. Attendees and seats must be registered.

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Broad sports and cultural and leisure activities

Children and young people under the age of 20 can participate as athletes in sporting events or competitions across regions / districts (nationally), both outdoors and indoors, without the requirement to keep a distance of 1 meter.

Exceptions to the recommendation of a distance of 1 meter both outdoors and indoors where it is necessary to carry out the activity. This allows for training in contact sports for adults.

For adults, the group size is recommended to be up to 30 people indoors and 40 people outdoors.

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Top sports

It opens up completely for top sports. This means that series games can be played outdoors and indoors.

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Social contact / private homes

Encouragement to meet outdoors, and not be visited by more than 20 guests. If all guests are from the same household, you can be several, but you must be able to keep your distance.

Children in kindergartens and primary schools can have visits from their own cohort. Protected people are not included in the number calculation for home visits, but it must be possible to keep your distance.

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Reliefs are assessed on an ongoing basis.

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The trading industry

Open, with regulation of infection control-sound operation in the covid-19 regulations, such as arranging for at least one meter distance, and having routines for good hygiene and more. Infection control measures, cf. own industry standard.

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Restaurants

The pour stop is lifted. Requirements for infection control measures: Registration, reduced number of guests and requirements for distance, especially indoors.

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Working life

Opens up for more presence in the workplace, but still recommended partial home office for anyone who has the opportunity and / or flexible working hours.

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Inland travel

Domestic travel can be completed. Infection control measures are assessed on an ongoing basis.

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Private events

Up to 100 people in a public place or in rented / borrowed premises, indoors and outdoors.

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Public events

It is recommended to arrange outdoors rather than indoors.

Indoors:

• Up to 400 people (200 x 2 cohorts) without fixed, assigned seats.
• 1000 people (500 x 2 cohorts) if everyone in the audience is sitting in fixed assigned places.
• 50 percent capacity up to a maximum of 1,000 people (divided into cohorts of up to 500) without fixed, allocated seats, if an access test and corona certificate are to be used.
• 50 percent capacity up to a maximum of 2,500 people, divided into cohorts of up to 500, if everyone in the audience is in permanent, assigned places – if an access test and corona certificate are to be used.

Outdoors:

• Up to 800 people (200 x 4 cohorts) without fixed, assigned seats
• 2000 people (500 x 4 cohorts) if everyone in the audience is sitting in fixed, assigned places.
• 50 percent capacity up to a maximum of 2000 people (divided into cohorts of up to 500) without fixed allocated seats, if an access test and corona certificate are to be used.
• 50 percent capacity up to a maximum of 5,000 people, divided into cohorts of up to 500, if everyone in the audience is in permanent, assigned places – if an access test and corona certificate are to be used.

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Currently, subject to change

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Entry / exit

Open for entry to Norway with EU corona certificate from 24 June. From 19 June at 12 noon, it will also be open for Danes to be released from entry quarantine, if they have been fully vaccinated or have undergone corona disease. Facilitation for families and girlfriends living in the EU, the EEA area and the United Kingdom.

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See detailed info

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Protected or unprotected?

Persons protected against corona are not included in the number that is allowed to collect in private homes, gardens and cottages.

You are defined as protected if you

• is fully vaccinated. See definition below.
• have received one dose, and it has been 3 to 15 weeks since you received the dose.
• have undergone covid-19 disease in the last six months.

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You are fully vaccinated when you have:

• received two vaccine doses, and it has been over a week since you received the last dose.
• reviewed covid-19 and received one dose of coronary vaccine over a week ago. You cannot receive the vaccine dose until three weeks after taking the positive test.
• Received one dose of vaccine and after three weeks tested positive for a coronary test. You will then be fully vaccinated when you have finished the isolation.

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