From January 26, international travellers arriving in Norway will no longer have to quarantine, unless they test positive for COVID-19.
Norway is ditching its quarantine on arrival system in what will be a huge boost for the country’s travel and tourism industry.
Before 26 January, international travellers to Norway had to quarantine for 10 days, unless they could provide a proof of double vaccination status in the form of a digital pass that was compatible with the EU’s Digital Covid Certificate.
The travellers could do this at home, but if they had no suitable accommodation, the quarantine had to take place in a designated quarantine hotel.
But, as of tomorrow, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health has revoked the quarantine requirement.
This means that Norway’s border is now open to all travellers, quarantine-free if a negative test is confirmed.
In a statement released by the Institute, it says that the measure has little significance for the development of the epidemic or for hospital capacity in Norway, and does not consider that entry quarantine is necessary in the current situation.
Travellers must still test themselves and register upon arrival in Norway. The requirement for a certificate for a negative test taken before arrival also still applies to persons who cannot document with a corona certificate that they have been fully vaccinated or have had natural immunity from COVID-19.
The release says it is important to remember that those who enter must be tested for symptoms and go into isolation for a positive test. Those who are already in the entry quarantine can leave from midnight on 26 January.
The British government has also relaxed its international travel requirements.
On Monday, it announced that it will be scrapping coronavirus travel testing requirements for the fully vaccinated from 11 February; news that has been hailed by the travel industry as a big step back to normality.
Johan Lundgren, chief executive of budget airline easyJet, said “testing for travel should now firmly become a thing of the past.”
“It is clear travel restrictions did not materially slow the spread of omicron in the U.K. and so it is important that there are no more knee-jerk reactions to future variants,” he said.