Civil protection uncertainty level due to COVID-19 cancelled

-Automatic translation

The civil protection level in respect of COVID-19 has been in force since 27 January 2020 when the uncertainty level was first declared due to a new coronavirus. Few times have civil protection levels been in the uncertainty, danger, or emergency phase, depending on the status of the outbreak.

Civil protection levels define the severity and extent of the danger that is faced each time. In a pandemic situation, a pandemic response plan is prepared which can be activated at three levels: uncertainty level, crisis level, or emergency level. The goal of activating the plan is to ensure a coordinated response by the parties.

The scenario of a pandemic is highly variable and flexibility in the use of preparedness strategies is therefore essential. At the end of April 2022, the civil protection level was last moved from the crisis level to the uncertainty level. At the uncertain level, increased vigilance and detailed risk assessment are considered necessary, and various measures are taken when the pandemic is on the rise. The epidemic is now under control in both Iceland and other countries, and the situation has been relatively stable since the end of the year. No new variant of COVID-19 has been detected for over a year, the population in Iceland is well vaccinated and hospital admissions have declined. No official measures have been in place since the end of February 2022.

Although the public safety level due to COVID-19 is now canceled in Iceland, the disease is still present both here and abroad. A summary of the situation of COVID-19 in Iceland last week shows i.a. that every week people are hospitalized with the disease. Apart from illness and its consequences, 246 deaths were recorded due to COVID-19 from 2020 to 2022. In January 2023, there were 13 deaths, while in February, one death has been recorded (preliminary figures).

COVID-19 is still a declared pandemic and is considered a threat to public health in the world according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Other diseases for which such a condition has been declared since 2005 include influenza H1N1 (swine flu), polio, Zika virus, ebola (twice), and monkeypox. Although COVID-19 measures have decreased in most countries, the epidemic is still going on with the resulting illnesses, deaths, and strain on the healthcare system. Monitoring, surveillance, and response to COVID-19 shall continue in the same manner as for other communicable diseases monitored by the Chief Epidemiologist. The pandemic response plan will be reactivated at the appropriate civil protection level if warranted.

The Chief Epidemiologist's information about COVID-19 in Iceland will now be transferred entirely to the website of the Directorate of Health from covid.is, e.g. about reactions, vaccinations, and statistics. The Directorate of Health has also set up a special dashboard with research on excess mortality in Iceland and COVID-19 deaths.

The National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police
The Chief Epidemiologist