Norway Removes Nearly All Covid-19 Restrictions, Including Travel Restrictions

In a turn of good news for residents and potential visitors to Norway, the country has lifted almost all their Covid-19 restrictions.

The announcement came from Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere during a news conference in Oslo on 12 February 2022.

“This is the day we have been waiting for,” said Stoere. “We are removing almost all coronavirus measures,” he continued.

Stoere’s announcement can be verified by a press release published by the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services.

According to the ministry, the restrictions that are being removed include:

  • Social distancing of 1 meter is no longer required.
  • Wearing masks is no longer enforced.
  • Only adults with symptoms should get tested.
  • Quarantine is no longer necessary. Adults with Covid-19 are recommended to stay home for 4 days, but it is not mandated.
  • Children in school are only required to stay home if they are actually sick.
  • Entry restrictions, such as testing negative for Covid-19 before coming into Norway, are removed.

The Ministry of Health also stated that Covid-19 is no longer a serious threat to the Norwegian population.

“Based on the recommendations of the Norwegian Ministry of Health and the Norwegian Directorate of Health, the Norwegian Government has decided that the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic is that it is no longer defined as a ‘serious outbreak of a communicable disease that is hazardous to public health’, pursuant to the Control of Communicable Diseases Act,” the press release reads.

The ministry then went on to explain that because the virus is no longer a significant threat, emergency restrictions that were enacted in reaction to it must now be removed.

The ministry’s statement is consistent with what Stoere announced to the public.

Stoere cited a reduced threat from the less-than-significantly harmful Omnicron variant of Covid-19 and the country’s high levels of vaccination to be the reasons why they would lift their restrictions.

“The corona pandemic no longer poses a major health threat to most of us. The omicron virus causes far less serious illness, and we are well protected by vaccines. We, therefore, remove almost all infection control measures, such as the meter, requirements for bandages and insulation. We can return to a normal life,” Stoere said.

The Prime Minister also acknowledged that although Covid-19 and its Omnicron variant are very communicable, Norway will be able to handle new infections as they come up.

“Many will be infected in the coming weeks, and we must prepare for that. But we are able to handle the increase in infection,” Stoere said.

For more news about the Schengen Area and which countries are opening up, click this link.

To read the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care’s press release, click this link.  

Related information

puzzle piece

How Do I Become A Citizen Of The EU?

Europe is a vibrant, diverse continent with a population of 500 million people. Becoming an EU citizen is a great way to experience the culture,

European union flag with immigrants

What Is An EU Citizen?

The term EU citizen refers to any individual who holds citizenship in a country that is part of the European Union. This includes citizens from