Solberg: A complete lockdown of Norway is still on the table

OSLO, NOV 2020 - If the measures that are now in place do not lead to reduced infection, a complete “lockdown” of Norway is a possibility, Prime Minister Erna Solberg (H) said on Friday.

Such a lockdown, where only the socially critical jobs would be carried out, is part of the government’s measures if the situation gets worse.

“But we are not there now,” Solberg emphasized at a press conference about the corona situation on Friday.

Other countries in Europe have closed down significantly more than Norway, she pointed out.

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Kjerag and Preikestolen have been named national tourist routes

OSLO - On Thursday, the Norwegian Environment Agency approved Kjerag and Preikestolen in Rogaland as national tourist routes.

Up to 15 routes can be approved as national tourist routes. 

Kjerag in Sandnes municipality and Preikestolen in Strand municipality will now be the second and third authorized route, the Norwegian Environment Agency stated in a press release on Thursday.

Fosseråsa in Geiranger is already authorized.

“With the long and narrow Lysefjord 600-900 meters below you, you will feel small in the large landscape space, where you walk on the bare rock. 

“It is easy to understand that the interest and use of these areas are so great,” Ellen Hambro, director of the Norwegian Environment Agency, noted.

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COURTESY NORWAY TODAY

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Norwegian airline employees to hold protest in front of parliament today

A total of 200 employees in Norwegian will mark their dissatisfaction and unrest with the government’s decision not to provide financial support to the airline on Wednesday at noon.

The employees will mark their support for the company and invite parliamentary politicians to hear their message, the employee organization Parat stated in a press release.

On Tuesday, it became clear that Norwegian lost NOK 980 million in the third quarter. 

The day before, the government refused to provide additional support to the airline that the company needs in order to survive the corona crisis.

Norwegian had more than 10,000 employees before the corona outbreak.

In the coming months, it will have only around 600 employees at work after a new round of layoffs.

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LO sounds crisis alarm for Norwegian aviation

OSLO, NOV 10 - LO (Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions) does not believe the government is doing enough for Norwegian aviation and calls for a more comprehensive plan. The Norwegian Pilots’ Association believes that aviation is about to collapse.

“The government said no to joining the issue with SAS. It has said no to contributing equity in Norwegian. 

“More debt is not what aviation needs now. What the government is doing is not enough, nor does it seem as if it has a plan for aviation in the future,” deputy leader Peggy Hessen Følsvik of LO said in a press release.

Air traffic is down about 70% this year compared to last year, and LO fears that aviation may be affected by the corona crisis until 2023.

“We have requested that there be more measures for aviation than expensive loan schemes. 

It is positive that the tax level has become lower and that the state buys FOT routes, but it doesn’t work when aviation is in such a deep crisis,” Følsvik said.

New measures

On Monday Nov 9, the government announced new measures for aviation. 

Among other things, it proposed to allocate a significant amount for the purchase of a minimum offer on domestic flights. 

The government will also extend the aviation loan guarantee scheme.

“It does not seem as if the government has taken into account that a minimum offer will hit most people, business, and the districts very hard. 

“The government’s main objective must be to ensure critical national infrastructure, and that there will be aviation in Norway after the crisis,” Yngve Carlsen, leader of the Norwegian Pilots’ Association, said. 

Carlsen believes that Norwegian aviation is now about to collapse.

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Norwegian health authorities to hold Facebook corona info sessions in Polish and Urdu

OSLO, NOV 10 - The next question hour about the corona on Facebook is scheduled to be rendered in Polish. Question time in Urdu is also being planned.

“In some immigrant groups, there is a high proportion of COVID-19. Therefore, the Norwegian Directorate of Health, in collaboration with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, has directed much of its communication to various parts of the immigrant population,” Director of Health Bjørn Guldvog said at the government’s press conference on Monday.

He outlined a number of measures being taken to reach immigrants during the ongoing pandemic.

“We have made a film about close contacts which has been translated into English, Polish, Arabic, Somali, Urdu, and Turkish,” he said.

Guldvog further stated that films with infection control messages such as hand washing and keeping distance at home are being shared on Facebook in many languages.

Communication via multiple channels

“The new stricter quarantine rules – which resulted from increased imported infection – are communicated to the target groups in a large number of languages ​​with posters in the workplace, advertisements on social media, and via various networks. We are also considering sending out an SMS,” he added.

The health authorities have an ongoing dialogue with the Islamic Council of Norway about information to the mosques about compliance with infection control rules and the number of people. 

They have a similar dialogue with other organizations.

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