The basic infection control advice about staying home when you are sick, good hand hygiene and good cough etiquette also apply to all the activities discussed in this article.

Sport clubs and associations (non-elite)

In collaboration with the Norwegian Directorate of Health, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health has prepared a guide for infection control for COVID-19 for sports teams / clubs.

• Infection control for sport (COVID-19) (Norwegian Directorate of Health) – in Norwegian

Sporting events

The national recommendation is that events that bring together people from different municipalities be postponed or canceled. Current requirements for events are specified in the COVID-19 regulations § 13.

Matches, cups and tournaments are considered to be events, but not regular training sessions. A training camp will only be considered to be an event if there are spectators.

• For further information about events, see Events, gatherings and activities

Training

Adults can exercise both indoors and outdoors if it is possible to keep at least 1 metre distance between people. For indoor training the recommended group size is up to 10 people and for outdoor training the recommended group size is up to 20 people.

Children and adolescents under the age of 20 can carry out organised training both indoors and outdoors. This group can be exempt from the distance recommendation of at least 1 metre where it is necessary for normal performance of the activity. For children and young people under the age of 20, a group size of up to 20 people is recommended. It is recommended to avoid mixing between the defined groups. In all situations outside the activity, for example during breaks, in the changing rooms, before and after training, it is important to keep at least 1 metre from other people.

Several groups can be together at the same venue if the groups are kept separate, and if they can individually and collectively comply with the infection control advice.

For children and young people under the age of 20, a group size of up to 20 people is recommended both indoors and outdoors. 

Organised swimming and school swimming

Organised swimming refers to all activity with a responsible organiser (school or club / team, etc.) in the form of swimming lessons, swimming training, courses and competitive swimming arranged by swimming clubs. Organised swimming should follow the general advice for swimming pools and bathing facilities: 

• Swimming pools and bathing facilities

For organised swimming, this advice also applies:

• Infection control for sport (COVID-19) (Norwegian Directorate of Health) – in Norwegian

Other organised leisure activities

Advice for other organised leisure activities, such as music rehearsals, cultural activities, scouts, leisure clubs, homework help and activities for children and young people of longer duration, can be found in the article Organised leisure activities.

Fitness centres

Fitness centres are covered by the requirements given in the COVID-19 regulations § 15b.

In addition, the following advice applies:

• Keep at least 1 metre between people who are training at all times, and at least 2 metres in high intensity group sessions. 
• Hand hygiene should be performed before and after the session.
• Enhanced cleaning of frequently used contact points and equipment.
• Equipment that is touched with hands over time (e.g. weights and exercise equipment) should be cleaned according to the usual routines by each user, and by the centre at the end of the day.
• Avoid queues at the entrance / reception, toilets, changing rooms and at the equipment.
• The centres should have an overview / plan of the maximum number of people who can be in the centre at the same time given current distance requirements, access to changing rooms, toilets and shower facilities.

The fitness industry has developed an industry standard for safe operation within infection control measures with input from the health authorities, which the fitness centres are expected to follow:

• Infection control guideline for fitness centres (Virke - in Norwegian) 

About the risk of transmission in fitness centres

The risk of infection in fitness centres is associated with many common touch points for those who exercise, increased respiration with corresponding droplet production, that people are close to each other, and that activity mainly takes place indoors. Fitness centres often gather people from different geographical areas.

Transmission potential in fitness classes with high physical activity is higher than with activities such as pilates and yoga.

Ventilation

In general, it is recommended to ensure good ventilation in enclosed environments and enclosed rooms. In enclosed rooms without a ventilation system, it is recommended to air the room regularly. Ventilation should follow normal routines. More information about indoor climate and advice on ventilation can be found here:

• Inneklima og risiko for smitte av covid-19 - råd om ventilasjon_27102020.pdf