Norwegian politics, Nett på sak
Minister of Health Ingvild Kjerkol pulls the emergency brake, but leaves the corona pass unused.
Net on case
A dramatic backdrop has been drawn for the new, extremely hard corona measures.
The crisis scenario is presented by the National Institute of Public Health, with between 90,000 and 300,000 new cases of infection per day.
With such a prospect, it is not strange that panic prevails, but still the unvaccinated and vaccine opponents are allowed to escape.
The contrast to Denmark is clear:
- Denmark is far ahead of us with the 3rd vaccine dose and has corona passports everywhere.
- Norway closes schools and restaurants, but without introducing corona passports.
The most startling thing about the Omikron round is the crisis images that the National Institute of Public Health is building up. Just the estimate of somewhere between 90,000 and 300,000 infected every day should make the alarm bells ring. The large interval shows that FHI does not have very precise models for estimating the Omikron infection right now.
It also appears from the basic document that FHI uses formulations such as «..must be interpreted with caution …», this is not a prediction, but a simplified modeling and projection is «… without a possible effect of action» .
In round figures, around 1/1000 of those infected are admitted to hospital, and so far 1/5 of those admitted have ended up in the intensive care unit.
In four weeks, the number of inpatients has increased from 225 to 331, and the number of respiratory needs has increased from 35 to 55 patients.
In the month from August to November, 1,565 patients are hospitalized, while Norway has had 292 deaths.
If FHI’s worst model were to strike, 300,000 new infections per day would result in at least 100 new posts per day, and dozens of deaths daily.
Among philosophers, jurists, and others concerned with individual rights, coronation measures are frequently discussed. A good question is why you close high schools (where the students generally do not get very ill), while so far there is no strength pressure on the unvaccinated who are exposed to great danger by not taking the vaccine.
The measure that undoubtedly works best is the vaccine, and especially the third booster dose for everyone over the age of 45.
We are currently approximately 700,000 doses behind schedule.
By July 15, around 1.7 million had received their second dose.
Five months later, the number for the 3rd dose is below 1.0 million.
There is overwhelming evidence that vaccines inhibit both the development of infection and the course of the disease.
At the same time, we see that Eastern European immigrants are at around 50 percent vaccination rate, and that the immigrant population from the Middle East and Africa is also low. This is partly about active resistance, and partly about a skepticism of authorities and lack of information and accessibility.
But we also have active Norwegian vaccine opponents who actively advocate for people not to get vaccinated.
Denmark has chosen to have a much higher pace at the 3rd dose, and combined it with koronapas to get into restaurants, hotels and other public events. It is the subject of an encroachment on people’s individual freedom, but it is also a close culture-Norway and restaurants maximum number of visitors and alcohol ban.
The horror scenario for the National Institute of Public Health is thus not a prediction, but a simplified model for how the corona pandemic could have developed without action. Fortunately, this will not be the case with the comprehensive measures that have been introduced in Norway.
What alternatives exist to closing culture and nightlife, and imposing all home offices and closed schools?
- Other countries (such as Denmark) keep restaurants open, but insist on corona passports which show that you have either had the disease, been fully vaccinated or have taken a recent test.
- Some countries go further and require vaccination by health professionals and government employees.
- Still other countries are moving close to compulsory vaccination.
We have not come here in Norway because around 90 percent of the population has been vaccinated both once and twice, and most are now waiting impatiently for the third sting.
But saves me from talking about individual rights for active vaccine opponents when the bill passes on to other, innocent groups.
Among these are closed upper secondary schools and other offers for children and young people which are closed down “for safety’s sake”. Just as action is definitely to let children and young people take the burden for all the rest of us – and especially the unvaccinated over 45 years who have the greatest risk of becoming ill and hospitalized with serious illnesses.
It’s not fair.
PS! What do you mean? Are the corona measures necessary and sufficient? Write a debate post!