4 May: Oslo will follow the national guidelines for distancing

Press release: The City Government will change its guidelines for pubs and restaurants in line with changes in the national Covid-19 guidelines. This means there must be a distance of one meter between guests and staff in pubs and restaurants.

Read this press release in Norwegian

Information about measures taken against the spread of the Corona virus is changed on an ongoing basis. This means that the information in the press release may be outdated.

On 30 April, the City Government approved changes in the corona-guidelines, where alcohol can be served from 6 May at pubs and restaurants which serve food. The conditions were that that seating groups must keep at least 2 meters distance from each other. The same day, the national guidelines were changed, reducing the distance required between guests and employees to just one meter.

The City Government will change its own guidelines for distances, and has included the national guidelines for pubs and restaurants in the City guidelines.

The City of Oslo’s requirements for pubs and restaurants (revised guidelines)

  • Only vendors who are registered at the Agency for Food and Alcohol Licensing and Inspections can serve alcohol
  • A risk assessment for infection prevention must be produced
  • Serving at tables only
  • Serving is allowed until 23.30, and closing time at 24.00.

National requirements for pubs and restaurants:

  • Food shall be served
  • Buffetservice for food is forbidden
  • Must ensure that guests and employees can keep 1 meter distance
  • Basic rules for preventing infection apply
  • Routines for good hygiene and cleanliness must be written and followed up.
  • No groups of more than five people are allowed together, unless they are from the same household

Although the requirement for two meters distance between groups of guests has been lifted, it is still necessary to keep a safe distance so that employees who move around the venue avoid being continually in close contact with guests (less than one meter). Pubs and restaurants should also make sure that guests can keep a distance of 1 meter apart.

The changes were approved at an extra meeting of the City Government today, 4 May 2020.

Since 28 February, the City government has been on emergency alert, and since 11 March this has been at the highest level. The City officials release updates about steps taken to prevent further spreading of the Coronavirus.

Press contact

Press contact for Victoria Marie Evensen, Vice Mayor for Business Development and Public Ownership:

Ninja Sandemose

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