Covid in Norway: now all the logistical preparations for the introduction of Covid Passports are done, all that's missing is … a--really, any--reason to do so

Brief notes on perhaps the biggest lose-lose Catch-2022 of this winter

Things are quite dynamic in this part of Scandinavia, and while I hadn’t scheduled this post for today, I just saw that Sweden is re-introducing some more measures. Thus, I figured that a brief comment is in order.

Covid Passports Are (Likely) Coming in February or March

I’ve been all over this issue since 22 Nov. 2021 when I first opined that these abominations are ‘coming soon’. I reiterated my case in early December (3 Dec., to be precise), and today there are two new developments. Remember, Covid-19 was, in essence, a political problem, as opposed to a public health issue (and for more on this, you’re herewith re-directed to my end-of-year piece, dated 31 Dec. 2021).

Upping the ante just a few hours into this Monday, the Institute of Public Health (IPH) published an information circulaire informing the various municipalities that the preparation for the introduction of Covid Passports was now basically complete. Specifically, the letter informs local government of their obligations, if Covid Passports are introduced, and it does so in no uncertain terms:

As a result of an amendment to regulations 27 March 2020 no. 470 on infection control measures etc. at the corona outbreak (Covid-19 Regulations) §5 lit. h, the municipality may, at the request of the holder of a Covid Certificate or his or her representative, issue a Corona Certificate based on a test taken at the municipality’s test stations. The municipality may also, at the request of the holder of the corona certificate or its representative, issue a Corona Certificate based on vaccination and history of illness. The issue shall be made by printing on paper. The issue shall take place at the municipality’s test station or elsewhere the municipality decides. From 1 February, this will be regulated as mandatory.

From 1 Feb. 2022, then, local governments are obliged to issue Covid Passports to its residents. So far, this was optional, as these vaccine passports weren’t in use domestically, but they were available for international travel.

The letter further outlines that such a Covid Passport may consist of vaccination status, recovery from Covid-19, or a negative test taken at an official test station whose results are entered into the national epidemiological register.

This means that Norway appears, for now at least, to refrain from putting the (few) ‘unvaccinated’ into house arrest.

Now, why would the IPH bring this issue out, esp. since the letter is dated 7 Jan., but it was ‘only’ published today?

Well, the government had announced to revisit the current measures by the end of this week, i.e., there’ll be a large press conference come Friday. Already last week, PM Støre announced that these media conferences will take place without IPH representatives (as it did for the past two years), which brings me to the question: is the IPH (tail) trying to wag the dog (government)?

You might be forgiven for this crude analogy (to an otherwise fun movie), but it’s apparently the one question more and more ostentatiously democratic countries should ask themselves: wasn’t it about time to relegate unelected officials without control (oversight) by parliament to the sidelines?

Still, here’s more from Støre, who remained open to introduce Covid Passports ‘if deemed necessary’ by public health officials. Using carefully measured words, Støre added that the current Omicron wave must be controlled, but ‘at the same we must strive to make things as easy as possible for everyone, in particular children, young people’.

Hear, hear.

Bergen Tidende reports Støre has saying that Norway ‘will not introduce Covid Passports as of now’, even though the PM was quoted adding:

We must have measures. There are many questions about Covid Passports, so the issue will not be decided upon this week. We must investigate this in more detail.’

Let’s hope that this measured response will not give way to less rational decisions later on. Based on the preliminary work, though, now the infrastructure is in place, so it’s probably quite reasonable to expect the Norwegian government to introduce Covid Passports as soon as this can be ‘sold’ to the public.

Side-note: I know that these Covid Passports don’t work as an infection control measure, hence I am fundamentally opposed to their introduction. Personally, I think this is about the digitisation of virtually everything, but as a societal meta phenomenon, this ambition predates Covid. Still, this doesn’t mean that it’s going to be a good idea to consent to this epidemiologically worse-than-useless measure. Time will tell, though, if Norway follows a growing number of other places, but, like in the ancient story about Pandora’s Box, there remains at least hope that Støre will forego this option.