POSITIVE TEST: One substitute doctor from Sweden at Nordfjord Hospital tested positive for covid-19 on Saturday. Photo: Helse Førde
–
The Nurses’ Association and Frp’s health policy spokesperson believe that health tests should be introduced by all incoming health workers after two Swedish health personnel substitutes tested positive for the coronavirus.
On Saturday, Nordfjord Hospital announces that one Swedish substitute doctor has tested positive for the coronavirus after receiving a quarantine exemption. In addition, a Swedish temporary nurse at Sandnessjøen hospital is infected.
– It is completely incredible. Health Minister Bent Høie should have demanded that all health professionals who come from other countries must undergo a health test before they can work here, says health policy spokesperson for Frp Åshild Bruun-Gundersen.
The physician at Nordfjord Hospital began to have symptoms on Thursday and tested positive on Friday. The person is supposed to have arrived in Norway last weekend and was granted a quarantine exemption to work.
—CRITICAL: Frp’s health policy spokesperson, Åshild Bruun-Gundersen, thinks we need to have a health check in place for the health care workers from Sweden and other countries coming to Norway. Photo: Gorm Kallestad
–
On Thursday, they began to have symptoms, and then stayed away from work. The person tested positive on Friday, and then had worked for two days at the hospital.
– The emergency room doctor underwent infection mapping in the usual way prior to work. The person was granted a quarantine exemption, and the criteria for this were met, Hunskår Vingsnes tells VG.
It is uncertain whether the temporary nurse at Sandnessjøen Hospital has been in quarantine in Norway before having started working.
Bruun-Gundersen looks with concern at the two cases this past week.
– It should not be enough to say that you are symptom-free. It is to expose Norwegian inhabitants to a danger they should have been spared.
also read
Temporary doctor got quarantine exemption – tested positive Friday
–
– Absolutely indefensible
Bruun-Gundersen urges Høie to introduce a duty for foreign workers as soon as possible for a health examination before they can work in the Norwegian health care system.
– This was introduced in connection with the detection of tuberculosis about a year ago, and I cannot understand that the same requirement should not apply during the coronary pandemic.
The FRP politician points to high infection rates in Sweden, and believes there should be no exception for the Swedes.
– Patients in Norway should not be afraid to go to Norwegian hospitals to risk being exposed to infection there, says Bruun-Gundersen.
County leader for the Nursing Association in Nordland Gjertrud Krokaa responded to the practice as of late March.
– We have had such severe restrictions elsewhere in the country. It is totally unjustifiable not to quarantine these temps, says Krokaa.
also read
India is preparing for explosion: – We are exhausted
–
—COUNCIL LEADER: – It is critically important for nurses who have contact with patients to comply with the quarantine regulations and not to grant exceptions, Gjertrud H. Krokaa said back in March. Photo: Norwegian Nursing Association
–
She understands that the substitutes are quarantined only after you notice symptoms.
– These are people who work with very sick and vulnerable people, who are very susceptible to infection. Exposing patients and colleagues to it just doesn’t help.
Krokaa believes it is unethical to hire temporary workers to Norway from a country that needs more health professionals.
– That’s not acceptable. We are unable to clean up our own staffing situation in this country, and instead spend a lot of money on hiring temporary workers. It says a bit about how desperate the situation is, when you come in from a country with such high rates of infection.
– Now Bent Høie and the government must look at the use of this, she says further.
VG has been in contact with the Ministry of Health, but has not received an answer so far.
–
Commercial cooperation: Discount codes
–
