The government proposes to extend the temporary provisions in the Infection Control Act, so that they can impose closure, quarantine, isolation and corona passports on the Norwegian population until mid-2022.
The consultation proposal was sent on Friday, September 10, two days before the election.
The background for the proposal is the need for emergency preparedness, it is stated in the consultation note.
“The government is currently submitting a proposal for consultation to extend the provisions of the Infection Control Act as a legal basis for regulations on corona certificates, quarantine hotels, isolation and infection quarantine. The temporary provisions will be repealed on 1 and 11 December 2021, but are now proposed to be extended to 1 July 2022. The background for the proposal is the need for preparedness in the event of a worsening of the situation. “
The road back to the “normal state” is still a long way off, if the government succeeds. Vaccination has not changed the infection situation. Vaccinated people become infected and can infect others. According to Minister of Health Bent Høie, the government must be able to implement measures quickly if developments worsen.
– The corona pandemic has proven to be unpredictable. Although we will eventually achieve very good vaccine coverage in Norway, there may be new virus variants that the vaccines work less well against. When we move to the phase “A normal everyday life with increased preparedness”, national and local authorities will continue to follow developments closely. Then it is important that we can quickly implement measures if the situation changes, says Høie.
If the consultation proposal passes, it means that the government can impose a Koroan passport, closure and quarantine hotel on Norwegians until the middle of 2022.
It is not just the coronavirus that worries the health authorities anymore. Now it is feared that too the flu season can go far beyond hospital capacity.
In addition, 31,180 have been registered reports of suspected side effects after coronary vaccination, 16,865 (54%) were treated, of which 2,634 are severe. Fully vaccinated people with side effects, but also vaccinated with coronary heart disease, are admitted to hospital.
«Vaccination status was available for 55 new patients admitted with covid-19 as the main cause in week 35. Of these 55, 33 (60%) were unvaccinated, 6 (11%) partially vaccinated and 16 (29%) fully vaccinated. The proportion of new patients per week who have been partially or fully vaccinated has increased in recent weeks in line with increasing vaccination coverage, but the majority of new admissions are still among the unvaccinated »writes NIPH in the last weekly report.
This is despite the fact that the authorities constantly state that up to 90 per cent of the population has been vaccinated with the first dose. The promise that the vaccine would take Norwegian society back to “normal” seems unlikely. The government emphasizes this by requesting that their extended power of attorney be extended.
The background for the proposals are recommendations from the Norwegian Directorate of Health and the National Institute of Public Health. The agencies consider that, for contingency reasons, it is appropriate to preserve the possibility of retaining or reintroducing such measures also after December, if necessary and proportionate. As the population is adequately protected, the need for the measures will be reduced.
Insulation and quarantine
People who have been confirmed to have coronary heart disease must be in isolation. This also applies to those who are protected. The quarantine of infection is triggered as a general rule if you have had close contact with a person who has been confirmed to be infected with corona. Isolation and quarantine are important measures to reduce contact between people and thus keep the pandemic under control.
– Detecting and isolating infected people at an early stage has been one of the most important and effective infection control measures. We want to be able to use these measures even after the legal authority expires in December if necessary, says Høie.
“As the population is adequately protected, the need for the measures will be reduced”, however, it is requested that so-called “protected” persons be isolated from infection. Isn’t that a contradiction? It is obvious that vaccination does not protect against infection.
Corona certificate must also be continued. Not only for travel abroad, but also potentially for domestic use.
The corona certificate is a system for secure and verified documentation of vaccine status, disease reviewed and negative test results. With regard to the use of corona certificates domestically, the Ministry considers that in principle there will be no basis for using this after society has reopened. However, there may be a need to regulate, among other things, events with a corona certificate if the infection situation worsens.
When traveling to other countries, however, there may be a need for the corona certificate for some time to come. This will, among other things, depend on the restrictions and entry rules of other countries. In order for people to be able to travel between countries in the simplest possible way, and to take into account the need for regulation of domestic use, the Ministry of Health and Care Services therefore proposes to extend the legal basis for the corona certificate until 1 July 2022.
Quarantine hotels will not be necessary after 1 December 2021, according to the consultation note, but the government will still have the opportunity to possess “the necessary tools to deal with an unexpected development in the infection situation.”
The provision in the Infection Control Act that allows for rules on quarantine hotels is temporary and applies until 1 December 2021. The latest assessments from the health authorities indicate that there will be no need for a quarantine hotel scheme thereafter. The Ministry nevertheless proposes that the temporary regulatory authority in which the quarantine hotel scheme is anchored be continued in the event that the situation worsens, and a quarantine hotel scheme becomes necessary again. It is important that the government has the necessary tools to deal with an unexpected development in the infection situation.
The Ministry of Health and Care Services will obtain an updated assessment from the health authorities before any bill on extension is sent to the Storting.
The virus has come to stay. The question is how long the Norwegian population will live under threat of extraordinary measures.
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