COVID-19

CUTTING MOST COVID-19 TESTS FOR SVALBARD: Permanent residents, and visitors who are vaccinated or recovered from the virus are exempt for travel from mainland

10 months ago Mark Sabbatini

Photo courtesy of Longyearbyen Lokalstyre Two years after the beginning of Svalbard’s peak tourism season was destroyed by declaration of...

13 COVID CASES IN SVALBARD FIRST WEEK OF 2022: Four infected with Omicron, officials said they’ve lost control of ability to track cases, increases expected to continue

11 months ago Mark Sabbatini

Photo by Longyearbyen Lokalstyre A total of 13 COVID-19 cases were detected among residents and visitors in Svalbard during the...

LONGYEARBYEN SCHOOL NIXES EVENTS AS NORWAY REVIVES STRICT COVID-19 RULES: Resurgence of virus means ‘a difficult Christmas’ as month-long limits on gatherings, more enacted

12 months ago Mark Sabbatini

Photo courtesy of Longyearbyen School The Grinch is back in his mean mode in the form of the latest COVID-19...

NORWAY REIMPOSES NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST FOR SVALBARD TRAVELERS: Omicrom varient means mainland test required within 24 hours of departure, including vaccinated persons

12 months ago Mark Sabbatini

Photo by Arild Olsen / Longyearbyen Lokalstyre A negative COVID-19 test within 24 hours for all people traveling to Svalbard...

COVID-19 self-test distribution station opens Monday at Longyear 78°; free kits provided to vaccinated people with respitory symptoms and targeted unvaccinated groups

1 year ago Mark Sabbatini

Photo by Longyearbyen Lokalstyre A COVID-19 self-test distribution station in the parking lot of Longyear 78° is scheduled to be...

MULTIPLE COVID-19 CASES IN LONGYEARBYEN PROMPT EMERGENCY MEETING: Several measures including free self-tests implemented, but ‘no need to impose strict measures’

1 year ago Mark Sabbatini

Multiple cases of COVID-19 in Longyearbyen among residents and visitors prompted a meeting of the local emergency council Thursday and...

SVALBARD’S FIRST ‘REAL’ COVID-19 CASE CONFIRMED: Longyearbyen resident in isolation after likely being infected on mainland; case is second in Svalbard, first involving a resident

1 year ago Mark Sabbatini

Photo by Longyearbyen Lokalstyre The first Svalbard resident diagnosed with COVID-19 in the archipelago was confirmed Tuesday by Longyearbyen Hospital,...

SVALBARD’S FIRST OFFICIAL COVID-19 CASE: Russian fisherman on vessel near Bjørnya briefly hospitalized in Longyearbyen; officials not worried about risk to others

1 year ago Mark Sabbatini

It's official: the first COVID-19 case in Svalbard was recorded this week when a Russian fisherman who was ill aboard...

SWEET SOUND OF FREEDOM: Dark Season Blues and Arctic Chamber Music festivals among Svalbard events turning up the volume after a missed year as COVID-19 restrictions lifted

1 year ago Mark Sabbatini

While there's some harsh "post-Covid" tones on the mainland in the form of violent celebration and foreign countries putting Norway...

MOST SVALBARD COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS LIFTED: Negative virus test before entry, occupancy/tour/cruise limits nixed as of Saturday as Norway reopens borders to many countries

1 year ago Mark Sabbatini

Photo by Christopher Michel / Creative Commons A major step toward resuming "normal everyday life" in Norway begins at 4 p.m....

COVID-19

CUTTING MOST COVID-19 TESTS FOR SVALBARD: Permanent residents, and visitors who are vaccinated or recovered from the virus are exempt for travel from mainland

13 COVID CASES IN SVALBARD FIRST WEEK OF 2022: Four infected with Omicron, officials said they’ve lost control of ability to track cases, increases expected to continue

LONGYEARBYEN SCHOOL NIXES EVENTS AS NORWAY REVIVES STRICT COVID-19 RULES: Resurgence of virus means ‘a difficult Christmas’ as month-long limits on gatherings, more enacted

NORWAY REIMPOSES NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST FOR SVALBARD TRAVELERS: Omicrom varient means mainland test required within 24 hours of departure, including vaccinated persons

COVID-19 self-test distribution station opens Monday at Longyear 78°; free kits provided to vaccinated people with respitory symptoms and targeted unvaccinated groups

MULTIPLE COVID-19 CASES IN LONGYEARBYEN PROMPT EMERGENCY MEETING: Several measures including free self-tests implemented, but ‘no need to impose strict measures’

SVALBARD’S FIRST ‘REAL’ COVID-19 CASE CONFIRMED: Longyearbyen resident in isolation after likely being infected on mainland; case is second in Svalbard, first involving a resident

SVALBARD’S FIRST OFFICIAL COVID-19 CASE: Russian fisherman on vessel near Bjørnya briefly hospitalized in Longyearbyen; officials not worried about risk to others

SWEET SOUND OF FREEDOM: Dark Season Blues and Arctic Chamber Music festivals among Svalbard events turning up the volume after a missed year as COVID-19 restrictions lifted

MOST SVALBARD COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS LIFTED: Negative virus test before entry, occupancy/tour/cruise limits nixed as of Saturday as Norway reopens borders to many countries

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FIRE DESTROYS 12 APARTMENTS, 55 PEOPLE DISPLACED: Cause unknown, officials seeking witnesses and photo/video

JUNE KNOW, IT’S HOTTER THAN EVER: Record-high average temperature of 6°C at Svalbard Airport during month is 2.4°C above average as alarming warming trend accelerates