Author: Louise Pieterse
Last update: February 9th, 2022.
Norway was one of the first non-member states to launch the EU Digital COVID Certificate (EUDCC).
The EU has made its vaccine passport available to countries in Europe outside of the Union, aiding in the mission to facilitate free travel across the continent.
Launching the EUDCC was part of the third step in Norway’s four-step gradual reopening plan.
Entry restrictions to Norway
Norway has stopped all quarantine regulations for people entering the country.
Since January 26th, even unvaccinated travelers can enter Norway by just showing a pre-arrival negative PCR test.
The health authority in Norway has found that only around 7% of travelers to Norway are unvaccinated, and only 4% of those have tested positive.
“Following a recommendation from the National Institute of Public Health, the government is abolishing the requirement for entry quarantine because it is no longer considered necessary for infection control,” the Norwegian Ministry of Health stated.
“Travelers still need to get tested and complete entry registration upon arrival in Norway. The requirement of documentation of a negative test taken before arrival continues to apply to people who cannot produce a COVID-19 certificate showing that they are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19,” the authority added.
COVID restrictions in Norway
Infection numbers in Norway have remained under control and the Omicron variant has proven to be much less dangerous than anticipated.
These factors have allowed the Norwegian government to relax all COVID regulations and life can continue almost normally.
There are still many health and safety suggestions in place and many places are urged to allow for 1m distancing between patrons indoors.
In shops and places of transport where there is no room for social distancing, masks are recommended.
Municipalities are allowed to require the use of the COVID Pass Norge as an added measure of security and citizens can use their certificate for international travel.
People who have tested positive for COVID are also only required to self-isolate for 4 days if their fever is under control.
How does the EU COVID certificate work in Norway?
Two certificates were initially made available, one specifically for domestic use and the more detailed version for authentication abroad.
The Norwegian COVID certificate is not identical to the EU’s COVID pass. However, it can be verified by other European borders thanks to the common EU Gateway.
This allows Norwegians the same benefits for traveling abroad, even though it is still discouraged. This already includes travel to countries like Germany, Belgium, Austria, and Poland.
Norway initially used the first certificate locally to reopen cruises around the Norwegian coast and kick-start large-scale events like sports matches and concerts.
Norwegians can use the second certificate to enter the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA).
How to get the EU Digital COVID Certificate in Norway
The certificate is automatically generated on the Norwegian health services’ Helsenorge online portal. It will show details on an individual’s vaccination status, recovery status, and PCR test results.
It will be sent to the user’s mobile phone or it can be printed. It is available in English and Norwegian.
The Norwegian COVID pass app, run by Helsenorge, is easy to use. It displays green for the local certificate and blue for the EU certificate. Both are verified by QR codes.
The Minister of Health Care Services, Bent Høie, has confirmed this and says the release is “an important step on the road back to everyday life.”
“It has been a long time since large groups of us could get together and experience big events together. Now we are reaping the benefits of our having been careful and more and more of us having had our vaccinations” he says.
COVID-19 health situation in Norway
Norway saw a dramatic spike in its infection rates in December as Omicron made its arrival.
Close to 700,00 cases were recorded in the two months since then bringing the country’s total infection count to 937,321.
In contrast to this quick rise in numbers, the death toll has been lower than that of countries with lower vaccination rates, with 1,467 people having died by February 9th.
The vaccine rollout in Norway has proceeded swiftly and over 74% of the nation is fully vaccinated. They have administered over 11,000,000 doses in total.