Increased infection in the schools in Bydel Grorud: – Tired – VG

– We had to shut down because the number of infections among the students has increased sharply. Right now, more than 20 students and one employee are infected, says principal at Bjøråsen school, Rachid Sealiti, to VG.

A total of seven classes were quarantined, and now the school is closed until after Easter. This is a decision made by the district chief doctor in Grorud.

– I think it is a good and wise decision, so that we can prevent infection among the students. I want to remind people how serious the situation is and about the measures that apply, he says.

In the future, they will have digital teaching and have initiated several measures to make home teaching better.

– Two teacher students have been hired to offer digital homework help. In addition, we have set up a helpline to take care of the social support. There we line up with advisers, environmental workers and a child welfare educator, says Sealiti.

– It is a very tough time for the youth now, and they need someone to talk to. I hope more people take advantage of the offer, he adds.

A precarious situation

Ammerud school, which is located about three kilometers from Bjøråsen school, has also been infected. The principal sent out letters to the parents with the headline “Information about the precarious corona situation at Ammerud school”.

– The school has 14 students and two employees who are infected. A total of 168 students and staff have been quarantined from our school, says principal Kiet Minh Dang.

– We have had control since March last year, but this week there was an increase. That is why we have sent out a letter to all the parents. We are not currently closed, he adds.

Almost 200 in quarantine and pending quarantine

At Apalløkka school, there are few cases of infection, but almost 200 students and teachers are in quarantine and pending quarantine.

– The difference from now until before Christmas is that very many end up in pending quarantine. If, for example, a student has been in close contact with an infected person, then the whole family must be in waiting quarantine, says principal at Apalløkka, Elisabeth Dullum.

– It requires a lot of reorganization when teachers and students suddenly end up in quarantine, and it begins to erode. We try to be positive, but we are also tired, she says.

She would also like to thank all the parents and teachers for their patience.

– I get completely unwell every time I have to send a message about the quarantine situation, but I am only met with patience and good feedback, she says.

“Very loud”

The infection pressure is now clearly highest in Grorud district with 953 infected per 100,000 inhabitants in the last two weeks, which the district itself describes as “Very loud”. The district has thus passed Stovner where the number is 913, according to Oslo council.

– We can see from the numbers that we test far more, and that means that we of course identify more infected. But the proportion who actually have infection increases also, it does it all over the country, says communications manager Gry Sjødin Neander to VG.

Apart from nursing home residents, 454 people in the age group 75–84 had received two vaccine doses, while 150 had received in, VG was informed on Friday afternoon. The figures for those over 85 were 324 and 51, respectively.

– Many measures

– We have a lot of measures and now actively use mobile test stations that are centrally located in the district twice a week. We also have the opportunity to set up a mobile test station on Fridays in the event of a suspected outbreak, says Neander and adds that the infection tracking team works well.

– Now we will also start with corona converters, says Neander.

These are young people between 16 and 19 who will help to inform the population. Exactly what they are going to do is not quite clear yet. But at Stovner they do the little extra that flyers, messages from the municipality and endless amounts of information online can not. Like offering people face masks and an antibac shower in their hands.

Health Councilor Robert Steen (Labor Party) expresses concern for the rising contagion in the capital.

– There is now a very high infection pressure in the city, in all districts. We see a large increase in how many people become so ill that they are admitted to hospital, he writes in an e-mail to VG on Friday.

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