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dc.contributor.authorFosse, Anette
dc.contributor.authorSvensson, Anders
dc.contributor.authorKonradsen, Ingvill
dc.contributor.authorAbelsen, Birgit
dc.date.accessioned2022-08-26T09:46:01Z
dc.date.available2022-08-26T09:46:01Z
dc.date.issued2022-02-03
dc.description.abstractAims: This study aimed to explore the tension between local, regional, and national authorities evoked by some rural municipalities’ decisions to impose local infection-control measures during the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway. Methods: Eight municipal Chief Medical Officers of Health (CMOs) participated in semi-structured interviews, and six crisis management teams participated in focus-group interviews. Data were analysed with systematic text condensation. Boin and Bynander’s interpretation of crisis management and coordination and Nesheim et al.’s framework for nonhierarchical coordination in the state sector inspired the analysis. Results: Uncertainty in the face of a pandemic with unknown damage potential, lack of infection-control equipment, patient transport challenges, vulnerable staff situation and planning of local COVID-19 beds were some of the reasons for rural municipalities imposing local infection-control measures the first weeks of the pandemic. Local CMOs’ engagement, visibility and knowledge contributed to trust and safety. Differences in perspectives between local, regional and national actors created tension. Existing roles and structures were adjusted, and new informal networks arose. Conclusions: Strong municipal responsibility in Norway and the quite unique arrangement with local CMOs in every municipality with the legal right to decide temporary local infection-control measures seemed to facilitate a balance between top-down and bottom-up decision making. Tension between rural, regional and national actors that arose due to local infection-control measures, and the following dialogue and mutual adjustment of perspectives, led to a fruitful balance between national and local measures in Norway’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.en_US
dc.identifier.citationFosse, Svensson, Konradsen, Abelsen. Tension between local, regional and national levels in Norway’s handling of COVID-19. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. 2022en_US
dc.identifier.cristinIDFRIDAID 2026042
dc.identifier.doi10.1177/14034948221075408
dc.identifier.issn1403-4948
dc.identifier.issn1651-1905
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10037/26440
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherSAGEen_US
dc.relation.journalScandinavian Journal of Public Health
dc.rights.accessRightsopenAccessen_US
dc.rights.holderCopyright 2022 The Author(s)en_US
dc.titleTension between local, regional and national levels in Norway’s handling of COVID-19en_US
dc.type.versionpublishedVersionen_US
dc.typeJournal articleen_US
dc.typeTidsskriftartikkelen_US
dc.typePeer revieweden_US


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