No changes to Covid guidelines

The current Covid recommendations will not be intensified, but the public ought to take them more seriously and resist complacency during the pandemic.

This was the key conclusion of the epidemic commission after yesterday’s meeting.

“We believe it is important to inform the public that it is unwise to be complacent in periods with low infection rates and simply return to normal behaviour thinking that everything is okay,” says police chief Michael Boolsen, who heads the epidemic commission

“We all need to adopt a mentality that Covid-19 is here to stay for the long term, and it is crucial that each one of us adjusts our social behaviour accordingly until a vaccine or some other treatment becomes available.”

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Public health professor Pál Weihe has advised against holding confirmation parties in Tórshavn this weekend. But Boolsen says that these parties can go ahead provided that everyone involved pays extra close attention to the social distancing and hygiene guidelines.

The official recommendation for the maximum number of people gathering in one place remains at 100, but Boolsen strongly advises people to reduce this to 50 until further notice.

“Four square metres are required per person to maintain adequate social distancing, so if parties are held in small venues, the number of people gathering should of course be adjusted accordingly,” he says.

Guidelines not restricted to the capital

“It is also important to repeat that everyone should keep physical contact with anyone except their nearest and dearest to an absolute minimum.”

Although most of the recent Covid cases have been registered in Tórshavn, the committee chairman urges everyone across the country to act responsibly.

“Our society remains active and people travel freely around the country, so obviously we should all respect the safety guidelines.”

For further information about Covid-19 in the Faroes, visit corona.fo.

Translated by prosa.fo