Norweigian Prime Minister Erna Solberg; Norway has announced an end to social distancing in schools and will further relax lockdown measures EPA
Norweigian Prime Minister Erna Solberg; Norway has announced an end to social distancing in schools and will further relax lockdown measures EPA
Norweigian Prime Minister Erna Solberg; Norway has announced an end to social distancing in schools and will further relax lockdown measures EPA
Norweigian Prime Minister Erna Solberg; Norway has announced an end to social distancing in schools and will further relax lockdown measures EPA

Europe

Coronavirus: Norway’s schools to reopen fully next week as lockdown measures eased

Social distancing among pupils to end after high schools opened in May

Callum Paton

May 29, 2020

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The Norwegian government has announced an end next week to coronavirus social distancing measures in schools as the country also relaxes restrictions on bars and other establishments that do not serve food.

Norway’s schools, which have been among the first to reopen in Europe after strict lockdown measures were introduced across the country in March, will return to normal lessons on June 2.

Norway’s Minister of Education, Guri Melby, said as long as the situation with the Covid-19 outbreak remained unchanged entire classes would be allowed inside of a classroom regardless of its size.

Pupils will have to continue frequent hand washing and are advised to stay home when ill, Norwegian media reported.

In the Scandinavian country, kindergartens reopened on April 20, primary schools from first to fourth grade on April 27 and middle schools and high schools opened on May 11, though pupils had to stay apart under social distancing measures.

A medical staff wearing protective suits takes samples from a man during Covid-19 testing at a hospital in Seoul, South Korea. AP Photo
A medical staff wearing protective suits takes samples from a man during Covid-19 testing at a hospital in Seoul, South Korea. AP Photo
A health worker holds a glove outside the San Jose public hospital emergencies entrance in Santiago, Chile. Reuters
A health worker holds a glove outside the San Jose public hospital emergencies entrance in Santiago, Chile. Reuters
Medical worker Mohamed jumps rope as he attend a training session with French boxer Hassan N’Dam at the Villeneuve-Saint-Georges hospital, outside Paris. AP Photo
Medical worker Mohamed jumps rope as he attend a training session with French boxer Hassan N’Dam at the Villeneuve-Saint-Georges hospital, outside Paris. AP Photo
NHS workers at the Aintree University Hospital react during the last day of the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS in Liverpool, Britain. Reuters
NHS workers at the Aintree University Hospital react during the last day of the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS in Liverpool, Britain. Reuters
Medical workers react as they watch the Blue-Impulse aerobatic team of Japan Air Self-Defense Force fly over the Self-Defense Forces Central Hospital in Tokyo, Japan. Reuters
Medical workers react as they watch the Blue-Impulse aerobatic team of Japan Air Self-Defense Force fly over the Self-Defense Forces Central Hospital in Tokyo, Japan. Reuters
A disinfection team sprays inside a classroom at Ivory Park Secondary School east of Johannesburg, South Africa. AP Photo
A disinfection team sprays inside a classroom at Ivory Park Secondary School east of Johannesburg, South Africa. AP Photo
Paul Santiago Kelley, a graduating senior at Brophy College Preparatory, smiles as he takes a selfie as he celebrates Diploma Days with photos of all his fellow classmates in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. AP Photo
Paul Santiago Kelley, a graduating senior at Brophy College Preparatory, smiles as he takes a selfie as he celebrates Diploma Days with photos of all his fellow classmates in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. AP Photo
Linda Hoveskeland, right, and Ardell Hoveskeland speak with family and friends joining over Zoom after their socially distanced wedding at the Peace Lutheran Church in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. AFP
Linda Hoveskeland, right, and Ardell Hoveskeland speak with family and friends joining over Zoom after their socially distanced wedding at the Peace Lutheran Church in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. AFP
A cashier wears a face shield behind plastic protection as she works in a supermarket in Bangkok, Thailand. Reuters
A cashier wears a face shield behind plastic protection as she works in a supermarket in Bangkok, Thailand. Reuters
A man walks across marks used to space worshippers apart after Friday prayer at the Al Barkah Grand Mosque in Bekasi on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia. AP Photo
A man walks across marks used to space worshippers apart after Friday prayer at the Al Barkah Grand Mosque in Bekasi on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia. AP Photo
Members of Myanmar's parliament are pictured on a break abiding by social distancing rules with plastic dividers at tables at the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw parliament building in Naypyidaw. AFP
Members of Myanmar's parliament are pictured on a break abiding by social distancing rules with plastic dividers at tables at the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw parliament building in Naypyidaw. AFP
Seafarers, who got quarantined as they arrived in the Philippines weeks ago, wait for their free ride back to their provinces, in Paranaque, Metro Manila, Philippines. AP Photo
Seafarers, who got quarantined as they arrived in the Philippines weeks ago, wait for their free ride back to their provinces, in Paranaque, Metro Manila, Philippines. AP Photo
A staff member directs a guest to a parking spot at the pop-up 'Mov'In Car' Drive-in cinema cafe on its opening night at the Entertainment Quarter car park in Sydney, Australia. Bloomberg
A staff member directs a guest to a parking spot at the pop-up 'Mov'In Car' Drive-in cinema cafe on its opening night at the Entertainment Quarter car park in Sydney, Australia. Bloomberg
A girl sits in a field where circles were painted to help visitors maintain social distancing at Trinity Bellwoods park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Reuters
A girl sits in a field where circles were painted to help visitors maintain social distancing at Trinity Bellwoods park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Reuters
Unemployed people affected by the restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus take food donated by a Catholic family in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral in Guatemala City, Guatemala. AP Photo
Unemployed people affected by the restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus take food donated by a Catholic family in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral in Guatemala City, Guatemala. AP Photo
Works of art are displayed as part of artist Ann Morrow Johnson's "Museum of Quarantine on Quebec" on the fence of her home in Hollywood, California, USA. AFP
Works of art are displayed as part of artist Ann Morrow Johnson's "Museum of Quarantine on Quebec" on the fence of her home in Hollywood, California, USA. AFP
An image of veteran Stephen Kulig, who died from the COVID-19 virus at the age of 92, is projected onto the home of his daughter, Elizabeth DeForest, as she looks out the window of a spare bedroom as her husband, Kevin, sits downstairs in Chicopee, Massachusetts, USA. AP Photo
An image of veteran Stephen Kulig, who died from the COVID-19 virus at the age of 92, is projected onto the home of his daughter, Elizabeth DeForest, as she looks out the window of a spare bedroom as her husband, Kevin, sits downstairs in Chicopee, Massachusetts, USA. AP Photo
Relatives carry the coffin of a suspected COVID-19 victim at the Nueva Esperanza cemetery on the outskirts of Lima, Peru. AP Photo
Relatives carry the coffin of a suspected COVID-19 victim at the Nueva Esperanza cemetery on the outskirts of Lima, Peru. AP Photo

The new plans for schools coincide with a broader relaxation of restrictions for bars and some other social venues. While they will be allowed to reopen, only table service will be allowed and no food will be served.

According to the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten, travel between Norway and Denmark is also set to resume on June 15.

Norwegian Prime Minister, Erna Solberg, presented the updated travel advice on Friday saying conversations were ongoing with the other Nordic nations of Iceland, Sweden and Finland over how normal travel could resume.

Friction has developed between the four countries over the terms of the creation of a Nordic travel area, as lockdown restrictions are lifted.

Sweden in particular has had a surge in deaths from Covid-19 since the pandemic began with the high per capita death toll in the country attributed to its relatively relaxed approach to coronavirus.

While most European nations went into strict lockdown in March, Sweden’s parks, restaurants and cafes remained open. Social distancing was only recommended as experts sought to build immunity in the population.

Former Norwegian prime minister and a former director general of the World Health Organisation, Gro Harlem Brundtland, has said that it has been “incredible” to see the difference in Covid-19 deaths between Norway and Sweden.

More than 4,000 people have died with the virus in Sweden and a little over 236 have lost their lives in neighbouring Norway.

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