Unlike its Scandinavian neighbours, the number of new coronavirus infections in Norway is now at its highest level since the beginning of the pandemic.
According to information provided by the health authorities on Wednesday, almost 10,000 new cases were registered last week, 15 per cent more than in the previous week. This corresponds to 346 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days.
As a result of the rise, the Norwegian government declined to say when coronavirus restrictions will be lifted.
In Denmark restrictions are due to be lifted on Friday, in Sweden at the end of September and in Finland in October.
Norway's Health Minister Bent Hoie said that the goal was to vaccinate 90 per cent of the adult population by the end of September.
"As we get closer to that target, we will probably open up and move towards a normal society with increased readiness."
Slow vaccination
Norway's vaccination programme lags behind those of its Scandinavian neighbours, even though 77 per cent of the adult Norwegian population is now fully vaccinated.
Only last week, the government gave the go-ahead to extending the vaccination programme to children aged 12 and up, an important step given high infection rates among adolescents.
It's hoped that mass testing at schools will also help ease the rise in transmission, as well as preventing entire classes from having to go into quarantine.
