The infection increased by 54 percent and more corona patients were hospitalized last week, writes the National Institute of Public Health in its latest weekly report. Thursday at 13.00 holds Minister of Health and Care Services Ingvild Kjerkol (Labor Party) press conference about corona situation.
On Wednesday night, she met with the country’s municipalities.
– We have had a meeting with the municipalities and state administrators tonight to establish a good dialogue with the new government. It is local measures that are relevant in Norway now, not national measures that affect the entire population, Kjerkol writes in an e-mail to Dagbladet.
Receives reports of long-term ailments
– We’re worried
Municipal director Morten Wolden in Trondheim municipality was among those who participated in the meeting.
– I think it is very positive that the minister takes the initiative in such a way, and wants to get input and advice from the municipalities before they possibly implement new national measures, he writes in an e-mail to Dagbladet.
In the meeting, Trondheim municipality emphasized “the sharp increase in infection that we now see again in the city”, he writes further.
– Yesterday, more than 130 infected people were registered, of which by far the largest proportion in school, Wolden writes.
This is first and foremost about upper secondary school, but also primary school, according to the municipal director.
– We are concerned that it is said from school staff that schoolchildren show up in large numbers with colds and respiratory infections as a result of the absence regulations, he writes, and continues:
– We therefore asked the Minister to take that challenge back to his college. Personally, I hope that this rule will be removed in the coming months so that students who are ill stay at home.
DOES NOT EXCLUDE NEW MEASURES: – We follow developments closely, and are prepared to implement national measures if needed, says Minister of Health and Care Services Ingvild Kjerkol (Labor). Photo: Nina Hansen / Dagbladet
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Puts crisis staff
Trondheim is not the only place in the country that is experiencing an increase in infection. Tromsø municipality has called for a press conference on Thursday at 11.00.
The summons comes after Tromsø last 24 hours set a new infection record with 59 cases.
– Now we have had a meeting with FHI today. Then we have a meeting with the Minister of Health. Then we will have a crisis staff meeting tomorrow at 08.30. Then we decide what we will bring to the press conference.
Mayor Gunnar Wilhelmsen (Labor Party) in Tromsø told Dagbladet at around 6.30 pm on Wednesday night, before the meeting between Kjerkol and the municipalities.
– The alternatives that have been discussed are face masks, the meter and more home office, he says.
In the first instance, it is probably a question of recommendations, he emphasizes. The need for any local regulations is assessed on an ongoing basis.
Thinks 130,000 died unnecessarily
– Goes beyond resources
Wilhelmsen describes a two-part situation in the health care system:
– One is the specialist health service at UNN, says the mayor.
The University Hospital of Northern Norway (UNN) currently has 14 inpatients, they inform Dagbladet.
– It goes beyond the resources in other areas, naturally enough. And then we have an outbreak at a nursing home, where there are health personnel who are at home due to covid, says Wilhelmsen.
People of all ages are affected by the infection, he says.
– There is speculation as to what the cause is. One is that it is winter and cold, and that people are more inside and gathered. We do not have “outbreaks” like that, it is a bit everywhere. Then there are also young people who have either not received a vaccine, or have only received the first dose, he says – and emphasizes that this is speculation.
Fear of new Christmas lockdown
– Fare for importsmitte
Kjerkol emphasizes that the pandemic is not over.
– We follow developments closely, and are prepared to implement national measures if needed. The most important thing now is that municipalities with outbreaks introduce measures to take control of the infection. Therefore, it was nice to hear a little from the municipalities and their status. I am concerned about having close contact with the municipalities, she writes in an e-mail to Dagbladet.
Municipal director Morten Wolden highlights two issues Trondheim municipality is concerned about.
– One is that one should pay close attention to the entry system and entry registration. There is still a danger of import infection, and we have therefore now in Trondheim offered us, in dialogue with NHO, LO and Fellesforbundet. to come out to the workplaces to assist with vaccination, he writes.
Wolden concludes:
– Even though Trondheim is now the big city with the largest vaccine coverage, we also see that it is still the case that men in the 25-39 age group lag a bit behind the vaccine statistics. The same applies to other municipalities, and we hope that together we can raise this issue together.
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