On Wednesday 30th December, the Municipal Executive Board adopted new Local Regulations to limit the spreading of the Covid-19 virus. The Regulations came into force as of midnight on 31st December 2020. They will be effective to and including Wednesday 13th 2021.

§ 1. Purpose

The purpose of the regulations is to determine infection control measures to prevent or limit the spreading of SARS-CoV-2 in the population and to safeguard adequate capacity in the health and care service in periods where the number of infected persons nationally or locally is increasing or high.

§ 2. Scope

The regulations apply to Orkland Municipality (Orkland kommune).

§ 3. Social contacts beyond your own family* and contacts in work situations must be limited to 10 per week.

Social contact must be limited to a maximum of 10 per week, beyond those who are contacts in your own family and contacts in your place of work. Social contact includes most social situations, as for example social contact in private gatherings in your own home or in a public place. Organized training and team activity is not included in the limitations relating to social contact - in such cases, the individual national sports associations’ rules must be adhered to, all non-organized activity and training is included in the regulations. The order that requires at least one meter’s social distancing to other persons must be abided with at all times.

§ 4. Registration of visitors in eating places and public houses

All places where food and drink is served, must register all visitors at arrival with name and telephone number

§ 5. All taxies must register all customers in every ride by name and telephone number

§ 6. Mandatory use of face mask on board buses in rush hours

The order applies on all weekdays between 07:00 and 09:00 as well as between 14:00 and 17:00 when passengers are not able to maintain 1 meter distance to each other. The order applies on board buses in Orkland Municipality, including bus services that also include other municipalities. The order does not apply to children born in 2008 or later, or persons that, due to medical or other reasons, are not able to use face mask.

§ 7. Mandatory use of face mask during taxi rides

The order applies to the driver as well as to the passengers for all transport with taxi in Orkland Municipality. The order does not apply to children born in 2008 or later, or persons that, due to medical or other reasons, are not able to use face mask.

§ 8. Mandatory use of face masks indoors in the public sphere

The order relating to the use of face masks apply to:

  • Shops
  • Common areas in shopping centres
  • In eating places with and without licence except when you are sitting by a table. Applies to both employees as well as guests
  • At hairdressers’ and beauty parlours and other businesses with one-to-one contact such as for example skin care, tattooing, piercing and other activity that is comprised by Norwegian regulation of 6th May 1998 no. 581 relating to hygienic requirements for hairdressers, skin care parlours, tattooing, and piercing and more. Applies to both employees as well as customers
  • Premises used by faith and belief communities
  • Premises used for activities related to culture, sports, training and leisure, for example in cinemas or sports centres. For the participants, this does not apply during the performance of the cultural or sports activity
  • Waiting rooms at doctors’, dentists’ and other health care personnel
  • In common areas accessible to the general public in public buildings

The order does not apply to children born in 2008 or later, or persons that, due to medical or other reasons, are not able to use face mask. The order does not apply to pupils and employees in schools, before- and after-school care (SFO) and day care facilities, in the opening hours of the day care facility and school.

§ 9. Mandatory use of face mask outdoors in particular cases

The use of face mask is also mandatory in densely populated areas outdoors (for example markets). The order does not apply to children born in 2008 or later, or persons that, due to medical or other reasons, are not able to use face mask.

§ 10. Exemption

The borough medical officer may in special cases grant exemption from the Regulations.

§ 11. Punishment

Intentional or negligent violation of these Regulations is punished with fines or imprisonment up to 6 months, see the Norwegian Act relating to infection control (Smittevernloven) §8-1.

§ 12. Commencement, duration and modification

The Regulations come into force as of 31st December 2020 at 00:00 to and including 13th January 2021. The municipality may extend, revoke and modify the Regulations.

Statutory basis: Determined by Orkland Municipality represented by the Municipal Executive Board on 30th December 2020 with legal basis in Norwegian Act of 5th August 1994 no. 55 relating to protection against infectious diseases § 4-1, first section, letter a, see also the Municipality’s delegation rules, count 2.1.2.

* Clarification: The concept family is defined as a household.