Norway Lifts Most COVID-19 Restrictions - Government

Norway has removed a significant number of its COVID-19 restrictions due to the current variant's lesser morbidity and vaccine-derived protection, the country's government said on Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd February, 2022) Norway has removed a significant number of its COVID-19 restrictions due to the current variant's lesser morbidity and vaccine-derived protection, the country's government said on Wednesday.

The Nordic country is following its neighbor, Denmark, which was the first European Union country to lift all COVID-19 restrictions starting Tuesday, buoyed by a high level of vaccination among the population.

"The virus variant that is prevalent in society now leads to less severe illness, and the vaccines offer good protection. The Norwegian Government is therefore removing a large number of COVID-19 measures. The changes will go into effect from Tuesday 1 February at 11 pm (22:00 GMT)," the government said in a statement.

The government has lifted restrictions on the number of house guests and events attendees, a ban on serving alcohol past 11 p.m., COVID-19 testing at the border, and remote classes at universities. At the same time, Norway will maintain rules on safe-distancing and mask-wearing.

"The Norwegian Government aims to remove the final restrictions by 17 February if the situation develops as envisaged. Municipalities may introduce local measures when necessary," the government added.

According to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, the country of 5.4 million has fully vaccinated almost 4 million people, including 90.9% of those 18 and older.