On Wednesday afternoon, a new technical solution for corona passports for domestic use was rolled out by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
With that, among others, Tromsø mayor Gunnar Wilhelmsen (Labor Party) could unleash the jubilation.
For several weeks he has been calling for the technical solution, which has been delayed due to privacy issues. The delay has been heavily criticized by Wilhelmsen.
– The infection is on its way down to Tromsø, but wave four will most likely come, and then the passport will be decisive. We are continuously assessing whether a passport requirement should be introduced in Tromsø. I am very happy that this is now in the toolbox, says the mayor to Dagbladet.
– Pull it back now
Think more people will get vaccinated
How much effect the corona pass will have has been the subject of discussion.
In the academic basis for the government, FHI considered that the effect coronapass can have on reduction in infection and hospitalizations is probably small, if testing is to be a possible criterion for obtaining a green passport.
There they also stated that an indirect effect after the introduction of corona passports in other countries has been that more people get vaccinated. At the same time, the institute emphasized that Norway has very high vaccine support, and that this effect will be moderate to small in this country.
Wilhelmsen does not think this conclusion is correct. He thinks the effect will be good and come quickly.
– I disagree with FHI which says that it does not have a vaccine effect to introduce the passport, says the mayor, before elaborating:
– There are three things that will happen with the introduction of the passport: In Tromsø, almost 3,000 have only taken one vaccine dose, which means that they are more exposed to infection. Many of them will take dose two to get the passport now. In addition, working immigrants who come to Norway will be vaccinated in order to take part in society. The third group who want to get vaccinated are those who are not vaccine opponents, but who have nevertheless refrained from getting vaccinated until now, because they, for example, think the virus is not that dangerous. This has been seen in Denmark, for example, says Wilhelmsen.
BELIEVE IN HIGH POWER: Tromsø mayor Gunnar Wilhelmsen has so far dropped the introduction of corona passes, but believes a possible introduction will have a good effect. Photo: Rune Stoltz Bertinussen / NTB
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When asked if there is actually a disagreement between FHI and the Tromsø mayor, GunI’s assistant director, Gun Peggy Knudsen, answers the following in an e-mail:
– The Corona certificate is a tool that should be able to facilitate other intrusive infection control measures. It is possible that the introduction will lead to increased demand for vaccination, but we would like to emphasize that this is not the purpose of the corona certificate.
– Was unlucky
The Tromsø mayor has been critical that it has taken time to put in place a solution that safeguards privacy considerations.
– The passport was the same that was used at the border upon entry. We thought that was unfortunate. You had to provide health information, while in other countries you got green or red just by scanning a QR code, says Wilhelmsen.
He emphasizes that there is a difference between presenting personal information to the police, who have a duty of confidentiality, and to others who should now be able to check the corona passports, as a doorman.
– Even in Russia, personal information is hidden in the corona passport. It can not be that difficult, even if it has taken so long.
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FHI: – Has gone fast
The simplified version that has now been launched is, as Tromsø municipality has called for, a solution that shows less data. It consists of two main elements – a certificate you can pick up at Helse-Norge, and an app for inspectors who will check the QR code when you use the certificate.
By scanning the QR code, the inspector can only see if you have a valid (green) or invalid (red) certificate.
– For the first part, the certificate itself, we already had a clear EU control page used for travel in the EU, but we needed time to update the rules in the national control page, so that what was regulated was incorporated in the certificate, Gunn writes Peggy Knudsen.
– Why me?
– Why has it taken time to put in place the new solution?
– What has taken time is the development and updating of rules in the certificate’s national control page that is computer-minimized, to test that it works as it should and prepare guidance material for the municipalities, Knudsen writes.
She emphasizes that the work has taken less than two weeks since the government’s regulations, which opened up for domestic use of corona passports, were adopted.
– Rule change in the app for inspector took two days, so this has gone quickly.
– Very happy
When the passport is now finally ready for use, Tromsø will not introduce use for the time being. This is because the infection is now simply too low for it to be appropriate.
Nevertheless, Wilhelmsen accepts the corona passport with open arms.
– I am very happy that this is coming now, and I am sure that more people will use it to get society up and running. The infection is on its way down to Tromsø, but wave four will most likely come, and then the passport will be decisive. So we are continuously considering whether a passport requirement should also be introduced in Tromsø, says Wilhelmsen.
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