Norway

In order to curb the spreading of SARS-CoV-2 in Norwegian prisons in spring 2020, the prison population was reduced and newly admitted prisoners were, as a standard procedure, put into quarantine – i.e. solitary confinement, a practice that has been criticised. Prisoners’ contact with the outside world was reduced during outbreaks, but extended phone time and use of iPads to maintain teaching activities and contact with family and friends were introduced as compensatory measures. Outbreaks in prisons mirror the waves of the pandemic in the general population. COVID-19-related restrictions have been regulated by national and local rules. A total of 137 prisoners and probationers plus 147 staff members had been infected by 7 April 2021.