Historical archive

Downscaled TISK to be introduced in the municipalities

Historical archive

Published under: Solberg's Government

Publisher: Ministry of Health and Care Services

The Norwegian Government has decided to introduce downscaled TISK in the municipalities from 27 September. When the time comes to move to ‘Normal everyday life with increased emergency preparedness’, downscaled TISK will be kept for a transitional period of about 4 weeks.

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‘Increasing numbers of people are fully vaccinated and the infection rate appears to be levelling off. There will continue to be a need for some testing, isolation, contact tracing, and quarantine for a while longer. We will therefore introduce downscaled TISK in the municipalities from 27 September’, says Minister of Health and Care Services Bent Høie.

Downscaled TISK means that fewer people will need to quarantine and the municipalities will perform less contact tracing. The Norwegian Government plans to keep downscaled TISK for a transitional period of about 4 weeks when the time comes to move to ‘Normal everyday life with increased emergency preparedness’.

The Norwegian Government's plans to introduce a downscaled TISK strategy when the municipalities are ready for it were announced on 2 September. The  dialogue with the municipalities about the content and the date of entry into effect has been positive.

Other COVID-19 news

Exemption of children under the age of 16 from entry registration
The COVID-19 Regulations will be amended to exempt children under the age of 16 from registration in the entry registration system (IRRS). The change will enter into effect on Saturday 18 September at 12 am.

Vaccination of foreign maritime personnel
There are great variations in the vaccination rate of maritime personnel. Many of them spend extended periods of time on board vessels, with few opportunities to get vaccinated in their home country. In line with the recommendation from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, the Norwegian Government has therefore decided to make vaccines available to shipping companies free of cost, so that maritime personnel at Norwegian ports can be vaccinated. The shipping companies will be responsible for organising vaccination. Municipalities that want to do so, can also offer vaccines to maritime personnel.

This is TISK
TISK stands for testing, isolation, contact tracing, and quarantine. TISK has been a key instrument in keeping the pandemic in Norway in check.

There are three levels of TISK:

Regular TISK means that each case that is detected involves contact tracing of close contacts by the municipality, close relations being placed in quarantine and encouraged to take a test, and isolation for people whose test comes back positive.

Enhanced TISK, which is used when the infection situation is critical, means more extensive testing and greater focus on proper quarantine and isolation.

Downscaled TISK, which will be introduced on 27 September, entails increased use of self-tests, fewer people having to quarantine, and the municipalities performing targeted contact tracing of only those at greatest risk of COVID-19.