OSLO (Reuters) -Norway will seek to limit any potential spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, including by imposing longer isolation on those who are found to have been infected, the government said on Monday.
It is likely that Omicron will spread to Norway, although the virus variant has not yet been detected in the country, health authorities have said.
“The new virus variant underscores the need for rapid vaccination with first and second doses for those who have not received them, and a booster dose for those who are eligible,” Health Minister Ingvild Kjerkol said in a statement.
In addition to longer isolation for those who are infected, members of the same household must also quarantine, while testing becomes mandatory for other close contacts, regardless of whether they are vaccinated or not, she said.
The government on Friday imposed restrictions on travellers from southern African nations where the new variant was first discovered.
(Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Gwladys Fouche)
