Advice to specific sectors; retail, restaurants, travel industry, taxi, police, tradespeople, etc.
Updated
This content is archived and will not be updated.
This article gives advice to sectors outside the healthcare service that may need specific measures to prevent transmission of COVID-19.
The Government is continuing with the third step of the plan for a gradual reopening of society.
Municipalities can introduce stricter measures locally according to the infection situation. Check your municipality's website for information on local measures.
Every company should follow the general infection control advice to ensure safe operation:
- People who are sick shall stay at home
- Make sure that people can maintain at least one metre distance
- Wash hands frequently and thoroughly. Use hand disinfectants if soap and water are unavailable.
- Cough into a paper tissue and dispose of it after use. Wash hands afterwards.
- Follow the branch standards and infection control advice for your branch, see below.
See also:
In areas with high transmission, municipalities can introduce local measures, in addition to the specific advice described in this article. Check your local municipality's website for information about local measures.
Shopping centres, shops and grocery stores
These must ensure safe operation according to infection control guidelines (regulated).
This means that the business:
- Facilitates being able to keep at least 1 metre distance to people who are not in the same household.
- Prepares routines for general infection control measures and thorough cleaning, and checks that these routines are complied with.
- Determines how many people can be present in the premises, based on the size and design of the premises.
- Possibly introduce routines for access control and number restrictions.
Other advice
- Facilitate for hand hygiene
- Review cleaning routines
- Consider using plexiglass to protect employees and customers
- We do not recommend the general use of face masks or gloves. It must be possible to keep a distance in the premises and face masks can give a false sense of security so people are less careful about distance. In areas with increased infection burden, the municipality can introduce a recommendation or mandatory use of face masks in shops where it is not possible to keep a distance of 1 metre.
Trade fairs and temporary markets
Trade fairs and temporary markets must ensure safe operation with regards to infection control (according to the regulations). This means that the company:
- Ensures that it is possible to keep at least one metre distance to people who are not in the same household
- Prepares routines for general infection control measures and thorough cleaning, and checks that these routines are complied with
- Determines how many people can be present on the premises or in the outdoor area, based on size and design
- Introduces routines for access control and number restrictions
- Registers contact information for visitors who consent
Other infection control advice
- Facilitate hand hygiene
- Review cleaning routines: Cleaning for COVID-19 in sectors outside the healthcare service
- Consider using plexiglass to protect employees and customers
- Standard Norway's infection control guide for trade fairs and trade fairs (in Norwegian)
Election campaigning stalls and similar activities
Stalls set up on streets and elsewhere can cause many people to gather in one place. Arrangements should be made so that all those present can keep their distance from each other and follow the general infection control advice. If many people are expected, follow the advice for temporary markets.
Restaurants
Restaurants can stay open if the necessary measures are in place to ensure safe operation according to infection control advice (regulated).
Safe operation according to infection control advice means:
- that the business must ensure that visitors and personnel can keep at least 1 metre distance to people from another household. This must be taken into account when ordering tables.
- that it has developed routines for general infection control measures, and that these routines are complied with.
For events with a licence to serve alcohol, the same rules as for restaurants apply:
- Serving of alcohol only takes place during table service.
- National and municipal licensing hours are complied with.
- Contact information for guests who consent should be registered.
See rules that apply for licensing in restaurants and events at the Norwegian Directorate of Health.
In areas with increased transmission, the municipality may introduce local recommendations or orders as part of the measures to reduce the risk of transmission. For example, this may include use of face masks, restrictions on alcohol serving and reduced opening hours.
Other infection control advice:
- The number of people who can be present on the premises at the same time must be adapted to the size of the premises. Guests must be able to keep a distance of at least 1 metre. Household members can sit together.
- Avoid crowding at the entrance, cloakroom, in the toilets, at the table, the bar, the buffet and elsewhere on the premises.
- Facilities for hand hygiene must be easily accessible
- Review the cleaning routines
For events at a restaurant, the requirements for events given in the COVID-19 regulations apply:
See also (in Norwegian):
- Kan man spre koronasmitte ved profesjonell matlaging? (Norwegian Food Safety Authority)
- Til kantiner, serveringssteder og matbutikker om koronavirus (Norwegian Food Safety Authority)
- Grunnleggende hygiene for serveringssteder (pdf) (Norwegian Food Safety Authority)
Hotels, campsites, holiday centres and rental cabins
Hotels, campsites, holiday centres, rental cabins etc., can stay open as long as the necessary infection control measures are followed to ensure safe operation.
- Ensure that it is possible to keep the necessary physical distance from each other in all areas; at the entrance, reception, in the toilets/ sanitation facilities, dining rooms/halls, common rooms and communal kitchens.
- Sanitation facilities on campsites and similar places should be open.
- Review the cleaning routines.
- Restaurants and cafes at hotels, campsites and holiday centres should follow the requirements for locations that serve food and drink described above.
- Fitness rooms at hotels and similar places should follow the advice for fitness centres.
- Spas and hotel pools should follow the advice for swimming pools and bathing facilities
- One-to-one treatment in spas and hotels should follow the requirements for Operations in companies with one-to-one contact such as hairdressers, beauty salons, etc.(in Norwegian)
- Events, gatherings and activities have their own requirements.
The tourism industry has issued branch standards:
- Norwegian Hospitality Association:Branch standards and guidelines for infection control(in Norwegian)
- Virke: Infection control guidelines for tourism(in Norwegian)
Serviced or unmanned cabins run by various providers:
- Serviced cabins should follow industry standards and infection control advice as other providers in the industry.
Alpine ski resorts
The Alpine Ski Resorts Association has prepared an infection control guide with input from the NIPH. The guide (in Norwegian) is based on the NIPH's guide template where the basic infection control measures are discussed.
Activities and equipment rental
Companies that offer activities can be open as long as they implement the necessary infection control measures to ensure safe operation.
The following advice applies:
- For rental equipment, follow the advice on Cleaning and disinfection for COVID-19 in sectors outside the healthcare service.
- Clean contact points on equipment such as bicycles, oars, climbing equipment, etc. with ordinary detergents.
- Disinfectants can be used as an alternative to washing contact points.
- For textiles used close to the face (dry suits, survival suits, etc.) you can wash hoods, collars etc., and use them immediately. Alternatively, leave the equipment unused for at least 24 hours.
Amusement parks, indoor play centres and fairgrounds
These can remain open as long as they can ensure safe operation according to infection control guidelines (regulated).
This means that the business:
- Ensures that it is possible to keep at least one metre away from people who are not in the same household.
- Develops routines for general infection control measures and thorough cleaning, and check that these routines are complied with.
- Determines how many people can be present, based on area and design.
- Possibly introduce routines for access control and number restrictions.
- The management should prepare / update an overview of how many people can be present at the facility at the same time, based on the size of the facility, capacity of changing rooms/ cloakrooms, toilets and other facilities.
- Measures should be adapted to each individual activity. The requirements for safe operation may mean that certain activities / equipment cannot be used, because it will not be possible to maintain distance or adequate hygiene.
- Restaurants, cafes and kiosks follow the requirements of restaurants as described above.
- One-off events follow requirements for events.
- To avoid congestion, facilitate the pre-purchase of tickets online and digital queues, in addition to the limiting the number of guests per activity (for example by closing every other carriage on the roller coaster and encouraging that you only sit next to those you usually have close contact with.)
Museums
Museum can remain open as long as they implement necessary infection control measures to ensure responsible operation (see advice for amusement parks). For guided tours, lectures etc., the requirements for Events, gatherings and activities apply.
Advice to sectors working with people who may be infected with COVID-19, such as police, customs, prison etc.
Sectors that need to have contact with people who are suspected, probably or confirmed to be infected should follow this advice:
- If possible, employees should keep a good distance from people with suspected, probably or confirmed COVID-19 (at least 2 metres).
- If closer contact is necessary, use protective equipment such as face masks, eye protection and gloves if needed. This also applies when visiting people who are in quarantine or isolation. Contact the local municipal health service for advice about the use of protective equipment.
- Consider using protective clothing if there is a danger of splashing or spills from bodily fluids.
- Ensure good hand hygiene, especially after close contact. Wash hands with soap and water, or use alcohol-based disinfection if hand washing options are unavailable.
- Set aside separate enclosed areas for people infected with COVID-19.
- Other measures must be clarified in consultation with the municipal health service.
See also:
- Advice on home quarantine
- Advice for patients who are isolated at home
- Hand hygiene, cough etiquette, cleaning and laundry
- Face mask and visor use by the general public
Advice to sectors in contact with private individuals or work in private homes such as taxis, tradespeople, chimney sweeps, etc.
The following advice applies to sectors that are in close contact with private individuals:
- Try to keep at least one metre away from customers where possible, and wash your hands or use hand disinfectant after customer visits / transport.
- Contact those you are going to transport / work for. Check if they are well and if they are in quarantine or home isolation (confirmed COVID-19 disease).
- If they are sick with respiratory tract symptoms or other symptoms consistent with COVID-19, in quarantine or home isolation; postpone the work if possible.
- If this is not possible, we recommend that you keep at least 2 metres away from the customer or use protective equipment such as face masks, eye protection and possibly gloves. You can ask the municipal health service for advice on how the work can be carried out in a safe way and about the use of protective equipment.
- For patient transport/taxis that transport people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 disease there is separate advice:
- Transport by patient transport service/taxi
Advice to sectors where workers live on site (civil engineering, shipyards, ships etc.)
Advice for sectors with employees that live on site, for example, construction companies, shipyards, ships:
Sale and trade of sexual services
A working group led by Pro Sentret has issued "Infection control advice to prevent COVID-19 with sale or trade of sexual services". The advice has been prepared in accordance with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health's template for industry standards for the coronavirus pandemic.
The advice is available in Norwegian, English, Thai, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Bulgarian, Polish and Russian, and is available on PION's website.
Water and wastewater industry
There is no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been transmitted via drinking water or for how long the virus survives in surface water.
Norwegian waterworks normally use chlorine treatment, UV radiation or ozonation as disinfection methods. These disinfection methods are effective against most disease-causing viruses, and the World Health Organization concludes that the common disinfection methods used (chlorine and UV) are also sufficient to inactivate this virus.
It has not been reported that COVID-19 virus has been transmitted through wastewater or sewage.
Advice:
- Use standard precautions and procedures that are used for other diseases that can be spread via wastewater
- In rare cases, breakages and leaks occur in the water mains and wastewater can enter drinking water pipes. It is then common practice to issue warnings to boil water, and people will be informed that the water should be boiled or not drunk. This practice is assumed to be maintained and is sufficient as an infection control measure.