Norway eyes reopening most of society by mid-June

Norway aims to reopen by mid-June most of the public and private institutions that have been closed to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said on Thursday.

The Nordic country was one of the first in Europe to curb activities to rein in the spread of the novel coronavirus, on March 12, and to relax some restrictions once it got the outbreak under control, in late April. "Thanks to our common efforts since March, we have brought the contamination under control," Solberg told a news conference. "We can therefore, over time, lighten the toughest measures."

Norway, like many other European countries, is trying to negotiate a path between the need for reopening society while at the same time avoid a flare-up in new contaminations. Kindergartens reopened on April 20, primary schools from first to fourth grade on April 27, but middle schools and high schools have remained closed. They will now resume work from Monday.

Foreigners without the right to live or work in the country - tourists, for instance - are still not allowed to enter the country. But foreigners working in sectors considered crucial, such as agriculture, fisheries or the oil industry, can come in the country though they still have to submit to a 14-day quarantine.

Still, if Norwegians and foreign residents want to go abroad, they will need to undergo quarantine upon their return.