- Denmark stops categorizing the virus as a “socially critical disease”.
- Denmark will lift all pandemic-related restrictions in September.
- The positive results are the outcome of “strong epidemic control”.
Denmark’s health officials issued a statement today announcing that they have made a decision to stop categorizing COVID-19 as a “socially critical disease,” since they have it under control. The decision means that any legal basis for pandemic-related restrictions cease to exist and therefore all restrictions will be lifted on September 10.
“The epidemic is under control, we have record high vaccination rates,” the statement read.
While the positive results are the outcome of “strong epidemic control,” special rules that have been introduced in Denmark to fight the deadly virus will no longer be in place starting from September 10, according to the official announcement.
The soon-to-be-ended classification of COVID-19 as a critical societal threat allowed authorities to force such restrictions as obligatory mask-wearing and ‘coronapass’ requirements, as well as the banning of mass gatherings in Denmark.
“The government has promised not to hold on to the measures longer than was necessary, and there we are now,” the statement said, adding no special requirements will be needed even for major public events, and also in regard to access to the country’s nightlife. However, authorities reserved the right to reinforce COVID-related restrictions “if the pandemic again threatens important functions in the society.”
“The hard work is not over, and a look out into the world shows why we must continue to be vigilant,” Denmark’s Health Minister Magnus Heunicke wrote on Twitter, while also praising his country’s “epidemic management.”
Denmark was among the first nations to come under pandemic-related restrictions when its parliament passed an executive order classifying the disease as posing a critical threat to society in March 2020. A partial lockdown was introduced back then, with the new rules later added, relaxed, and reinforced throughout the pandemic. By the end of August, more than 70% of the country’s population had been fully vaccinated. Denmark has registered more than 342,000 cases of the virus, with over 2,500 people dying from it.
WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:
- “The government has promised not to hold on to the measures longer than was necessary, and there we are now,” the statement said, adding no special requirements will be needed even for major public events, and also in regard to access to the country's nightlife.
- While the positive results are the outcome of “strong epidemic control,” special rules that have been introduced in Denmark to fight the deadly virus will no longer be in place starting from September 10, according to the official announcement.
- Denmark was among the first nations to come under pandemic-related restrictions when its parliament passed an executive order classifying the disease as posing a critical threat to society in March 2020.
