Delta Variant Still Spreading, Norway Again Postpones Lifting Lockdown

Illustration of a COVID-19 test facility at the University of Oslo, Norway. (Wikimedia Commons/Premeditated)

JAKARTA - The Norwegian authorities again announced the postponement of the lifting of the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic and reopening the economy, Wednesday, July 28 local time. This is the second delay.

The Norwegian government considers that the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 has made the lockdown unable to be opened and will be discussed again in August.

"The new assessment will take place in mid-August," Health Minister Bent Hoeie told a news conference.

The steps that will be taken to stop the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 include limiting the number of table services in bars and restaurants, as well as limiting 20 people for gatherings in private homes.

Earlier, the Norwegian Government in April unveiled a four-step plan to gradually remove most of the pandemic restrictions. By mid-June, Norway had completed the first three steps.

On July 5, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said a fourth step could be taken in late July or early August at the earliest, due to concerns about the Delta variant of the coronavirus.

"There is a risk that the Delta variant will cause a fourth wave of infection in the unvaccinated part of the population, among those who have received only one dose or are in a susceptible group," Prime Minister Erna Solberg said at the time.

To note, about 80 percent of adults in Norway have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 41 percent of adults have been fully vaccinated, according to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

Launching Worldometers, to date Norway has recorded a total of 136,370 cases of COVID-19 infection, with 799 people dying and 88,952 patients having recovered since the start of the pandemic.