21 May: Oslo City Government continues its phased reopening of Oslo

Les pressemeldingen på norsk

In Oslo there has been a significant decrease in the Covid-19 infection rate and the number of related hospital admissions over the past few weeks. At the same time, 222,000 Oslo residents are now fully or partially vaccinated. The City Government has therefore decided to introduce Phase 2 of its reopening plan in full, with effect from 26 May. From that date:

• Cafés, bars and restaurants will be permitted to open.
• Alcohol may be served until 10 pm.
• Fitness centres and indoor swimming pools will be permitted to open, but with strict limits on user numbers and social distancing requirements. Group training sessions will remain prohibited.
• Groups of up to 20 children and young people under the age of 20 will be permitted to engage in indoor training and recreational activities.
• Adults aged over 20 can train and practise indoor sporting or recreational activities individually, but not in groups.
• The size of groups permitted to engage in outdoor sporting or recreational activities will increase from 20 to 30 for children and young people under the age of 20, and from 10 to 20 people for adults.
• Museums, cinemas, theatres, concert venues and similar places of culture and entertainment will be permitted to open.
• Indoor events for groups of up to 20 people will be permitted, when there is designated, fixed seating. This relaxation does not apply to private gatherings in indoor public spaces. Religious services, prayer meetings, weddings, baptisms and similar rituals will, however, be permitted.
• Groups of up to 50 people may attend outdoor events, when there is designated, fixed seating. If no such seating is provided, attendance is limited to 30 people.
• Children in kindergarten and school may take part in artistic and cultural events.
• Youth clubs may have up to 20 people inside their premises at any one time.

“We are taking a large step towards a reopened city and a large step back to normality and the city life we have missed for so long. What we are doing now will get many people back to work. That means a lot,” says Johansen.

Gatherings of more than 10 people in private homes remain prohibited in Oslo. However, those who are protected against Covid-19 do not count among the 10-person maximum. The term ‘protected’ includes individuals who are fully vaccinated, those who have had their first vaccination at least three weeks before and those who have been diagnosed with Covid-19 within the previous six months.

“Our reopening plan for Oslo is intended to provide as much predictability as possible in a highly unpredictable situation. The City Government’s goal has always been that when we reopen, we reopen for good. Nevertheless, the City Government cannot at this time guarantee that we will not be obliged to reimpose stricter measures. We have been ready to start reopening on several occasions, only to see the situation change for the worse. Most recently, with the arrival of the imported British variant. All in all, however, we consider that reopening is appropriate now,” says Oslo’s Governing Mayor, Raymond Johansen.

Oslo City Government’s plan for the gradual reopening of Oslo (in Norwegian only)
Amended version of the statutory regulations on the prevention of coronavirus infection in Oslo (in Norwegian only)