4 ms·

When two countries each discourage or prohibit travel to or from the other, they cannot both be right, and the policy may be motivated by more than public healt

When two countries each discourage or prohibit travel to or from the other, they cannot both be right, and the policy may be motivated by more than public health concerns. It's possible to make a case that travel in and of itself is risky, as you will spend more time in enclosed spaces with strangers than usual, including planes, airports, public transport, taxis, and hotel lobbies. But much of that also applies to domestic travel. Norway gets the benefit of the doubt here that, unlike some large north-American countries, it doesn't resort to cheap xenophobia as a political strategy. And, indeed, the quote from the article offers a specific alternative: "I think most of us have now understood the holiday is over”, says the minister of health. That hints at a somewhat puritanical frustration from even the thought of others enjoying themselves in these times.

loulou24 6y ago
> they cannot both be right Why not?
matsemann 6y ago
> When two countries each discourage or prohibit travel to or from the other, they cannot both be right I don't entirely buy that premise. It's easier to contact trace and control other factors when everything is domestic. And it also keeps random outbursts much more local.
sjogress 6y ago
TL;DR We had it under control, but we are losing control. So we need to take action now (limit importation of new cases and new local spread) before a new lockdown is needed. Hence the holiday (from social distancing measures) is over. The problem is that Norwegians have essentially had a vacation from worrying about Covid, since there has been more or less no new cases since May-June. This has made the Norwegian population more relaxed, meaning more social gatherings have been taking place, bars have reopened, etc. However, during the summer months there was some tourism to and from other European countries, which seems to have caused a potential new outbreak of Covid. So, when the health minister says "I think most of us have now understood the holiday is over" he means that it is time to start thinking about social distancing, thinking about work-from-home policies and your personal hygiene again.
- kwhitefoot 6y ago
  > we are losing control. No. We are taking the expected action to prevent a loss of control. A small variation in infection rates is inevitable and the smaller the rate the greater the visibility of the variation. I agree though that a few people do seem to have decided that there is no longer any need to worry, luckily I only see them in the pages of the newspapers. In my daily life and weekend shopping trips, including visits to cafés, I haven't seen any noteworthy carelessness. This is in the area surrounding Drammen, Asker, Fornebu.

loulou24 6y ago

> they cannot both be right Why not?

matsemann 6y ago

> When two countries each discourage or prohibit travel to or from the other, they cannot both be right I don't entirely buy that premise. It's easier to contact trace and control other factors when everything is domestic. And it also keeps random outbursts much more local.

sjogress 6y ago

TL;DR We had it under control, but we are losing control. So we need to take action now (limit importation of new cases and new local spread) before a new lockdown is needed. Hence the holiday (from social distancing measures) is over. The problem is that Norwegians have essentially had a vacation from worrying about Covid, since there has been more or less no new cases since May-June. This has made the Norwegian population more relaxed, meaning more social gatherings have been taking place, bars have reopened, etc. However, during the summer months there was some tourism to and from other European countries, which seems to have caused a potential new outbreak of Covid. So, when the health minister says "I think most of us have now understood the holiday is over" he means that it is time to start thinking about social distancing, thinking about work-from-home policies and your personal hygiene again.

kwhitefoot 6y ago
> we are losing control. No. We are taking the expected action to prevent a loss of control. A small variation in infection rates is inevitable and the smaller the rate the greater the visibility of the variation. I agree though that a few people do seem to have decided that there is no longer any need to worry, luckily I only see them in the pages of the newspapers. In my daily life and weekend shopping trips, including visits to cafés, I haven't seen any noteworthy carelessness. This is in the area surrounding Drammen, Asker, Fornebu.