Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday 

Norway to begin accepting Northern Irish vaccine passes 

From Wednesday 3pm, Norway will start accepting the digital Northern Irish Covid pass as proof of vaccination. 

This means fully vaccinated travellers using the Northern Irish vaccine pass won’t be required to test before or after they travel to Norway, register their entry or quarantine. 

Arrivals from Northern Ireland in quarantine hotels will also be released once the new rules come into effect.

The rules also mean those travelling using vaccine passes can travel to Norway for whatever reason they wish. Previously only residents, citizens and the close family and partners of those living in the country could come to Norway. 

This means vaccine passes from England, Wales and Northern Ireland are now accepted from the UK. Vaccine passes from Scotland will be accepted once it has a digital solution in place. 

Norway sends extra personnel to Afghan field hospital 

The Norwegian Armed Forces have sent additional personnel to Kabul to support the field hospital at Kabul airport, where Norway has taken the lead on the operation. 

“The hospital is crucial for the allied withdrawal that is now under way, and in practice, the only medical offer available,” Minister of Defence Frank Bakke-Jensen told press agency NTB. 

The personnel who arrived in Kabul will assist with communications and logistical support so that the hospital staff can focus on its primary task of providing healthcare. 

In total, there are around 40 members of the Norwegian Armed Forces currently stationed in Kabul.

More than a third want it to be easier to be granted asylum

38 percent of people believe that it should be easier for asylum seekers to be granted residence in Norway, up from 32 percent in 2017 and 29 percent in 27, according to figures from the Norwegian Citizens’ Panel. 

“We see increasing support for Norway to take on its rightful responsibility for asylum seekers. But we should not be naive and out of step with the rest of the world. If the number of asylum seekers gets out of control, there will be a reaction in all groups,” Elisabeth Ivarsflaten, professor of political science at the University of Bergen, told newspaper Bergens Tidende. 

Six out of ten also said that they thought it was positive that immigrants moved to Norway. 

READ ALSO: Prime Minister rejects calls to bring deported Afghans back to Norway

747 new Covid infections in Norway- the highest number since April

On Tuesday, 747 new coronavirus infections were registered across Norway, the highest daily number recorded since April 8th. This is also 221 more cases than the seven-day average. 

In Oslo, 105 cases have been recorded. This is 35 fewer than the day before and three less than the seven-day average. 

Assistant director of health at the Norwegian Directorate of Health, Espen Nakstad, told NTB that the same case numbers six months ago would have been very worrying but are less concerning now due to the high vaccine coverage in Norway. 

Total number of Covid-19 cases in Norway. Source: NIPH