An end to regular testing

‘The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is rising sharply. Such high figures mean that regular testing has become less effective. We are therefore making changes to the test strategy and removing the recommendation of regular testing. From now on, testing is primarily advised for people with symptoms,’ says Minister of Health and Care Services Ingvild Kjerkol.

This change is particularly important for kindergartens, schools, university colleges and universities in municipalities with high transmission rates, where regular testing was recommended due to the considerable impact of transmission on society. Testing was also recommended in municipalities which had an infection rate in the relevant age groups of over 2 500 per 100 000 during the past 14 days.

The changes to the test strategy are based on the recommendations of the Norwegian Ministry of Health and the Norwegian Directorate of Health.

They have advised the municipalities how to prioritise testing, and this order of priority still applies. It is most important to test people who have symptoms of COVID-19, followed by people who are following a test regime instead of quarantining.

This change to the TISK strategy means that regular testing is no longer advised on a general basis.

‘We all need to take greater responsibility going ahead, also when using self-tests. Tests must be used when necessary, which primarily means when we develop symptoms,’ states Ms Kjerkol.

She stresses that municipalities that are considering a higher level of measures will still need to consider whether regular testing is an option in such circumstances.

‘Our goal continues to be to protect children and adolescents from the most invasive measures,’ says Ms Kjerkol.