Norway prepares to ease some restrictions ‘little by little’

Norway will lift some of the restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said on Tuesday. “Together we have taken control of the virus, therefore we can open up society little by little,” Solberg told reporters. Her health minister said on Monday that the epidemic was “under control” in Norway, pointing to the low rate of transmission of the disease.

The Nordic country was among the first in Europe to shut down a wide range of private and public institutions, sending the economy into a tailspin, triggering hundreds of thousands of layoffs, Reuters said.

Current restrictions, which are in place until April 13, included the closures of nurseries and schools and refusing entry to foreigners who do not live and work in Norway. Kindergartens will reopen between April 20 and 27; schools from the first grade to the fourth grade will reopen from April 27; and Norwegians can go to their chalets from April 20.

Solberg said that working from home must continue and that Norwegians have to get used to measures against contamination “for a long time.”