COVID-19: All precautions in place

Together with the health authorities, strategies and steps have been implemented to prevent the risk of infection. Stay home even if you´ve only got a slight cold or feeling unwell, this is the most important advice from the local health authority and the Infectious Disease Service
- If you´ve got any symptoms, even light symptoms, or you´ve been travelling or been in a risk area, don´t go to meetings. Providing only healthy people go to meetings and everyone follows the corona virus guidelines there is no risk attending conferences and meetings, says Dr Runar Johannessen, head of the Infectious Disease Service in Stavanger kommune.

The number of corona cases in Norway and Rogaland has risen over the summer. So far, the number of cases in Rogaland is less than other regions, however every measure to prevent the spread and keep it to a minimum are in place. This means following all the corona prevention guidelines, quarantine regulations as well as having an effective coronavirus contact tracing system.
- Earlier recommendations have now become regulations in order to prevent the spread of the virus. The maximum number of participants at any venue is set at 200 in order to enable quicker contact tracing in addition to reducing the spread of infection Johannessen explains.

Good advice
While planning the autumn meeting calendar Næringsforeningen is implenting precautionary measures to facilitate face to face meetings at Rosenkildehuset as well as other venues. To make sure all necessary measures are in place Næringsforeningen has worked closely together with the local health authority.
– All our meetings were cancelled in the spring and summer months and replaced with webinars and a new TV channel. One meeting took place at the end of June when the regulation of 200 participants was implemented. While planning for the autumn we want to make sure that we are taking every precaution necessary to facilitate meetings where companies, employees and participants feel safe, says Harald Minge, CEO Næringsforeningen.

Measures
The participant capacity at Rosenkildehuset will be 50 people as opposed to 120 in a normal situation.
- The day prior to a meeting all participants will receive an email with relevant information. It will contain a participant list as well as practical information. In addition, there will be a separate paragraph on Covid-19, Inger Tone Ødegård, Director of Strategy at Næringsforeningen explains.
On arrival participants will be asked to use the antibacterial hand sanitizer and proceed directly to meeting venue. The one metre rule applies, both inside and outside meeting venue. Registration of participants will be done scanning QR code.
To prevent people touching the same items, food will now be delivered pre-packaged. The microphone will be sanitized between users, and when emptying venue, it will be done by row she says.

Contact Tracing
In the case of detected infection the health authority traces every individual the person has been in contact with up to two days prior to symptoms. Næringsforeningen will have a representative directly communicating with the health authorities if there has been a confirmed case at any meeting. All information regarding participants will be given to the authorities.
- This means all participants must leave a phone number when registering for an event, says Ødegård.

Quarantine
Should someone attend a meeting be confirmed with the virus after the meeting, it does not mean everyone in attendance has to go into quarantine.
- There are different types of quarantine at the moment. Primarily homebased quarantine. Anyone living, working or going to school with someone infected should go into 10-day quarantine. Anyone else who has briefly been in the same venue can go and have the test. If the first test is negative one can go back to work or school but stay in quarantine out of working hours. Second test is done after 7 days, if this comes back negative, quarantine is over. However, if one has been close to the person infected it is advisable not to go to any meetings, says Johannessen.