On Wednesday, FHI wrote in its risk assessment that we face a normal everyday life.
There is no longer any reason to keep the strict measures, as the measures must be very strict to stop the spread of covid-19, at the same time as the coronavirus is no longer considered to cause as serious a disease as before.
The politicians have also now promised that the relief will come in a very short time, and among other things the head of the emergency room in Bergen believes we should remove isolation by positive corona test completely.
But for some, getting covid-19 can still be dangerous.
Among other things, those with diseases, or conditions that weaken the immune system, have been some of the groups that have particularly needed protection against the virus. In this group, the fourth dose of vaccine is being set.
Constant fear
– The fear of being infected with corona has been there constantly, but especially during periods of high infection pressure, says Elena Wisth.
The 57-year-old from Herøy is among those who have received four vaccine doses, but still have to live very carefully.
This is because she is taking immunosuppressive drugs that weaken the effect of the coronary vaccine. These are medications she has been on ever since she had a kidney transplant when she was 23 years old.
Had to quit my job
A direct consequence of the pandemic has been that she was fired from her job as a nurse in a dementia ward. From March 2020 until last autumn, she was unemployed.
– It has been a broken and very special situation to be in. I feel that I am not useful. As a nurse, you can not have a home office, she says.
In November last year, however, she got a job where she prepares coronary vaccines, but it is assumed that she is allowed to sit alone in a sheltered room.
– VACCINES: During the pandemic, Elena Wisth worked on preparing corona vaccines – provided she was able to sit in isolation. Photo: Private
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– I do not know how sick I will be if I first get infected. It is scary.
Even if society reopens in the near future, she must continue to live cautiously. But despite the fear of infection, she understands that society must be reopened at some point.
– The infection picture must calm down much more before I can live freer. We who are organ transplant recipients are used to being careful, but before the pandemic I have always been able to live fairly normally, she says.
Big consequences for many
Marit Lundberg, leader of the national association for kidney patients and transplant recipients, has experienced that members have expressed concern about infection through the pandemic.
– There are still many who are worried about infection, and there are several members who express that they are unsure of what consequences the reopening may have for them. This especially applies to members who no longer have the opportunity for a home office and who have children in kindergarten and school, as well as those who do not form measurable antibodies during vaccination, says Lundberg.
She says the pandemic has had major consequences for many.
– It has been particularly demanding for members who have been in a job where a home office is not possible. For some employees, the solution has been to be on sick leave, and some have ended up on work clearance money. This has led to a financial burden on top of it all, she says.
– Should continue to shield themselves
People with low immune systems have good reason to be careful during a reopening, says professor and immunologist at the University of Oslo, Anne Spurkland.
– Those who are most vulnerable should therefore continue to shield themselves for some time to come. When the infection control measures disappear, I think we will see that the infection curve rises further before it will finally decrease, she says to TV 2.
– IMMUNOLOGIST: Anne Spurkland believes that those who are most vulnerable should continue to shield themselves for some time to come. Photo: Bjørn Roger Brevik / TV 2
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The elderly, overweight and people with diabetes are people who have been particularly prone to severe coronary heart disease. But these are now protected through vaccination. Thus, the group consists of people who for various reasons have a low immune system, the group Elena is in, Spurkland explains.
– One can not keep society closed because of a small group of people who are particularly vulnerable, there is no political will to do so, she says.
– A lot of fear
In the Norwegian Immune Deficiency Association, they have followed the situation closely throughout the pandemic.
There they have their own professional council, consisting of some of the best professionals in the country, who have regularly given updated advice on what steps they with a weakened immune system should take.
These councils have largely coincided with the councils that have been applicable to society in general.
– During the pandemic, we have seen a lot of fear among many of our groups, but we have always been clear that it is important to follow the guidelines elsewhere in society. We are concerned that there should not be too much fear, and that people should not hide from society and isolate themselves too much, says Knut Vedal in the Norwegian Immune Deficiency Association.
He says they have experienced great progress and many concerns from members throughout the pandemic.
New relief is soon to be announced.
– With new guidelines from the authorities, we will use our professional council, which will provide advice on how to deal with this. If you follow the advice, you should be able to live normally, he says.
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