A British study in which humans have been infected with the coronavirus on purpose and then followed up by researchers, makes immunologist and senor researcher Gunnveig Grødeland at the University of Oslo confident in her case. According to Grødeland, the study confirms that covid-19 is quite harmless for young, healthy adults. The disease is still considered a generally contagious infectious disease.
– This type of study should contribute to the disappearance of this definition. We are getting more and more data that Cov-2 is in line with the flu, and the flu is not defined as a general dangerous disease, says the virus researcher to Minerva.
And she adds:
– Either SARS-CoV-2 must have its definition changed, otherwise other diseases must also be moved up under the definition.
Still can not be “degraded”
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) explains that there are three levels of disease in the Infection Control Act. They believe that covid-19 is still not “harmless” enough.
– There are different authorizations associated with the three levels. Whether a disease is defined as a generally dangerous infectious disease has an impact on the rights and obligations of the individual, and, among other things, whether the municipalities have the authority to implement measures. According to the law, a generally dangerous infectious disease is a disease that is particularly contagious, or that can occur frequently, has a high mortality rate or can cause serious or permanent damage. We consider that covid-19 still falls under this definition, writes director of FHI, Frode Forland, in an e-mail to Nettavisen.
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– What does FHI think about the reasoning above. Should the flu also be seen as a generally contagious infectious disease?
– There are 38 diseases that are defined under the category of generally contagious infectious disease. If necessary, it is considered whether various diseases should be removed or included in this list. This is assessed, among other things, on the basis of infectivity, prevalence, and possibilities for prevention and treatment. Known seasonal flu is not considered a generally contagious infectious disease. If new variants arise that have a greater spread potential and severity, the flu can also be included in this category, says the FHI top.
Also read: Omikron sub-variant raises concerns in several countries. This is what FHI says
– The current definition of corona means that the municipalities have the opportunity to implement local measures if necessary. What needs should this be, which differ from those one can get in connection with the flu?
– We are still in the middle of a major outbreak of the coronary pandemic with many patients at the same time, and new records of hospitalizations. Contingency considerations and the uncertainty associated with a new virus mean that it is still appropriate to consider covid-19 as a generally dangerous infectious disease. Pursuant to the Infection Control Act, the municipalities may implement measures that are medically justified, necessary for infection control, and useful after an overall assessment. says Forland.
The Norwegian Directorate of Health’s assessment
The Ministry of Health and Care Services recently gave the Norwegian Directorate of Health an assignment on covid-19 still to be defined as a generally dangerous infectious disease.
– The Norwegian Directorate of Health considers that there are several reasons why covid-19 should still be included in regulations on communicable diseases. Reference is mainly made to emergency preparedness considerations in municipalities and the current design of the economic rights. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health considers that according to the law, covid-19 can still be classified as a generally dangerous infectious disease, if it is considered necessary and useful for infection control, they write in their assignment number 617, dated 10 February 2022.
In the Infection Control Act § 1-3 no. 3 the conditions for a generally dangerous infectious disease are defined in three points:
a) usually leads to long-term treatment, possible hospitalization, long-term sick leave or convalescence, or
b) may become so widespread that the disease becomes a significant burden on public health, or
c) constitutes a special burden because there are no effective preventive measures or curative treatment for it.
In its assignment, the Norwegian Directorate of Health elaborates in the following way, why covid-19 should continue to fall under as a generally dangerous infectious disease.
– It is sufficient that one of the main criteria and one of the additional conditions are met. There are therefore many combinations of types of cases that can lead to a disease being defined as generally dangerous infectious. The Norwegian Directorate of Health considers that the main condition in the Infection Control Act § 1-3 no. 3 is fulfilled in that covid-19 is both regarded as a particularly contagious disease and that it occurs frequently. The Omikron variant is even more contagious than previous variants, and the vaccines protect less against infection compared to other variants, it says.
Should still be included in regulations
In the government’s strategy and contingency plan, which will initially apply until April 2022, the most important goal is to maintain control over the infection situation. The Norwegian Directorate of Health considers that the best way to maintain control is for covid-19 to continue to be included in regulations on generally dangerous infectious diseases.
Experience from the pandemic has shown that clear rules have worked more effectively than recommendations and advice. In order for the municipality to be able to introduce measures, it is assumed that covid-19 in the regulations is defined as a generally dangerous infectious disease, since this is a condition in the Infection Control Act § 4-1 first paragraph. It has been argued that covid-19 should be removed from the regulations on generally dangerous infectious diseases in order to prevent municipalities from introducing unjustified measures that create local differences. The Norwegian Directorate of Health refers to the experience with the Infection Control Act since it came into force in 1995, and especially in recent years during the pandemic.
– There are very few examples of municipalities having made decisions that have not been well-founded and met the requirements for proportionality, cf. § 1-5. The purpose of local measures is precisely that the development in the municipalities can be different, and that each municipality must be able to adapt measures to the specific situation in the municipality. The Norwegian Directorate of Health has confidence that the country’s municipalities will continue to administer these regulations in a good way, they write in their assignment.
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