Denmark after three months of partial lockdown is ready to re-open slowly, but the re-opening will be dependent on the availability of ‘corona passports’.
While India is celebrating the one-year anniversary of its strict lockdown due to COVID-19 and is skeptical about whether to reimpose another lockdown as cases of coronavirus are on a rise again, Denmark on the other hand has agreed to ease COVID-19 restrictions from next month. Denmark is soon to curb restrictions by letting hairdressers, spas and other services reopen, however, restaurants and cinemas will be allowed to reopen in May.
Denmark is gradually recovering as the number of positive cases is dropping continuously. This fall in the number of COVID-19 cases is due to the partial lockdown measures introduced in the month of December to curb the more contagious variant.
According to various sources, Denmark will allow more students to resume classes from April 6. Apart from this, some service professions such as hair salons and tattoo parlours will also reopen. This plan of easing the imposed restrictions was agreed upon in Denmark’s parliament. With this, shopping malls and outdoor serving will be allowed to re-open on April 21, while cinemas, music venues, and indoor serving at restaurants will resume in early May.
Corona passports:
Other reopening in Denmark is dependent on the use of a passport called “corona-passport”, which will hold the information of the holder regarding whether the person has been vaccinated or has previously been infected with the coronavirus. In case of the unavailability of the two situations, the holder has to show the reports of the test taken within the last 72 hours.
In Denmark, around 5.4 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated and around 10.9 percent has received the first dose.
Reopening once all over 50s get vaccinated:
With the relaxing restrictions, Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Monday while unveiling this plan also said that Denmark will reopen most of the society once everyone over the age of 50 gets vaccinated.
The lockdown restrictions were eased majorly because in Denmark whose total population records to around 5.8 million inhabitants, the numbers of new cases are being recorded only one-fourth of what was actually recorded in December when the government decided to impose lockdown.
Mette Frederiksen said, “This time we are going to proceed with caution. We can open up more now in Denmark, in contrast to several other countries, where the third wave of corona is a reality.” With this, she also announced the country’s plan to introduce “corona passports,” which will serve a crucial part in the process of reopening.
Government sceptical on audiences return:
With the opening of major places in Denmark, the government is still skeptical about the return of audiences to major sports and cultural events. The decision of audience return is also being considered as one of the major decisions as Denmark will host some of the major football matches of the European Championship in late June, this year.