So far in week nine, 95 new cases of infection have been reported in Ullensaker municipality. There are record high infection rates for the airport municipality in Romerike.
The R-number in the municipality is now 1.4.
On Monday, the presidency will meet for an extraordinary meeting to adopt new, intervening measures. The measures proposed are the most stringent since March last year.
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Now the mayor will Eyvind Jørgensen Schumacher close «everything».
– We just have to realize that we have a high infection pressure. It is important to turn it down before we lose control. We see that it has been successful in other municipalities, such as Nordre Follo, he says to Dagbladet.
He explains:
– There is a disturbing increase in infection. We have had consistently high numbers since Christmas / New Year, of around 250 infected per 100,000 inhabitants every 14 days. Nevertheless, so far we have avoided the great boom. Now we see a change in that picture.
Infection record in Romerike
Concerned about Ahus capacity
The infection rates are so high that the mayor is concerned about the TISK capacity. The TISK strategy consists of the testing-isolation-infection-detection-quarantine, and is crucial to kill the virus.
– It is starting to be such high numbers now, that if there is more, it can challenge the team that works with “TISK”. Then it becomes too challenging to follow all the routes of infection, and we are constantly following, he says.
The mayor emphasizes that he does not take it lightly to introduce strict measures in the municipality.
– This is important for many. It’s about jobs and companies. These are measures you do not introduce until you see that it is absolutely necessary. We have tried as much as possible to maintain services for children and young people, but after all, the most important priority is to protect life and health.
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He points out that the intensive care capacity at Ahus has been blown up, and that the hospital must send patients to other hospitals.
– Are you worried about the capacity at Ahus?
– I’m worried about that. Fortunately, we are close to hospitals in the area, which have capacity. But we see that the infection numbers are increasing elsewhere in Romerike, which is an important reason to jointly make an extra effort to reduce the infection.
NIPH: Eight virus variants worry
Request vaccine doses
Schumacher says that the municipality has not come as far in the vaccination as they hoped for. The municipality has vaccinated people over the age of 80 and residents in nursing homes, as well as some health workers. But there are still many in some risk groups.
He therefore asks to be part of the priority list when vaccine doses are to be skewed.
– The infection rates are so high now, that I hope we get a clearer prioritization policy with regard to the vaccine. I’ve been looking for it for a long time. It had meant a lot. We have had a consistently high infection pressure for a long time. There is no doubt that areas with a high population density have a greater chance of outbreaks.
Calls for intensive care units: – No overview
The mayor says that the municipality just did not reach FHI’s priority list. The municipality needed eight hospital admissions to be included, he explains.
– It is a combination that we have been good, but also lucky. We have released outbreaks in nursing homes. But when we have such high infection rates, there is a chance that it can affect someone who can become very ill.
– It is really high time to prioritize vaccines here. We have lived with significant measures for a long time, and now we have to tighten up again. It erodes.
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High unemployment
Ullensaker municipality is also among the municipalities with the highest unemployment.
– We are one of the municipalities that is hardest hit by the virus. 90 percent of the employees at Gardermoen have been laid off or laid off. We have also had major important tasks that had to be solved on behalf of the nation, such as quarantine hotels and test stations at the airport. It has taken a lot of resources.
– It has been a tough year for Ullensaker, he adds.
Now the mayor hopes that they will be able to kill the virus with the necessary measures.
– I hope we avoid a scary health situation.
Police apologize for blemishes
Strict measures
The municipality has had several outbreaks with both the South African and the British mutation, and Schumacher points out that the mutants are transmitted in a different way.
– We clearly see that it is transmitted between children and young people in a new way. Previously, it was common for children to be infected in the family, but now we see that there is infection between children and young people.
There have been several outbreaks in kindergartens and schools, including an outbreak with the South African virus variant at Læringsverkstedet Verksveien kindergarten in Jessheim.
– It is a disturbing picture, he says.
– Balances on a knife edge
It is now proposed a full stop to drinking, and the closure of gyms, swimming pools, and cultural and entertainment venues. It is relevant to close all shops and malls, except the necessary places, such as pharmacies, grocery stores, liquor stores and gas stations.
It will probably be forbidden to organize sports activities for adults and children.
The presidency will discuss the measures on Monday at 4 pm. The mayor says that the measures will initially apply for a couple of weeks, before they will take an evaluation.
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