Norway will continue to suspend direct flights from the UK until December 29 at 12 noon, to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus variant. This was conveyed by the Ministry of Health and Services to NTB. Flight stops can continue until after the New Year.

– It is still necessary to maintain measures so that we get time to gain more knowledge about the virus and prevent possible spread in Norway, said Minister of Health and Care Services Bent Høie (H) in a press release.

On Monday, the government imposed a 48-hour ban on flying passengers from the UK to Norway. The ban was later extended until Christmas Day 3 and is now being extended further until December 29.

Insufficient testing capacity

The suspension comes after variants of the new coronavirus spread in London and Southeast England recently. The mutation is estimated to be 70 percent more infectious than the original variant.

– Due to the current situation, we do not have the capacity to test all travelers arriving from the UK at the border. This could lead to a lack of control over the spread of the new virus variant which is significantly more contagious, Høie said.

Høie stressed that routines and capacities to ensure testing of all those who normally arrive on planes from the UK are under construction, but they have not been established or secured to an adequate level.

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Maybe during New Year

The Norwegian Directorate of Health has been tasked with assessing whether the shutdown should continue. This assessment is used as the basis for government decision-making.

When the ban was extended on Christmas Eve, the directorate recommended that the flight stoppage be continued until January 2. On Christmas Day, the government confirmed that a New Year’s extension could become a reality.

On Christmas Day 3, four planes from Great Britain will initially arrive at Gardermoen. London flights to British Airways were canceled before the extension was known. (© NTB)