After a long night of parliament negotiations, most parties finally made a deal regarding Denmark's slow re-opening. Education, business, leisure and the new Coronapas (Corona Passport) were the focus of discussion.
Photograph: Unsplash
Text: Lyndsay Jensen
The plan to re-open will take place at intervals of 14 days, below is the rollout plan from after Easter until May:
6 APRIL
Education:
In addition to the current primary school children, 5-8 grade can now return every second week (50% physical attendance).
Youth and Adult education can return with 50% physical attendance.
Higher education, graduate students with practical elements can return with 50% physical attendance.
All other students in higher education can return with 20% physical attendance.
Once the vaccination of the elderly, vulnerable and citizens over the age of 50 has been completed, education facilities can full re-open.
Business:
Liberal service industries (hairdressers) can re-open on 6 April.
13 APRIL
Business:
Shopping malls, department stores and arcades with an area of 15,000 square meters or less may re-open.
Shopping malls, department stores and arcades in municipalities with high infection levels are excluded. They will be assessed by the Epidemic Commission when they can re-open.
21 APRIL
Business:
Large shopping malls and department stores that are over 15,000 square meters can re-open.
With a Corona passport: outdoor dining will re-open in restaurants, cafes, museums, art galleries and libraries.
Leisure:
Without a Corona passport: indoor sports are open for organised activities for children and young people under 18 years old.
Please note: Which specific sports are covered and which infection prevention measure are to be taken are negotiated by the contracting parties based on a proposal from the authorities.
6 MAY
Business:
With the Corona passport, indoor dining in restaurants, cafes, conferences, venues, theatres, cinemas and other venues where cultural activities are held will re-open.
Leisure:
With a Corona passport – adults over 18 years old may now practice indoor sports.
Please note: Which specific sports are covered and which infection prevention measure are to be taken are negotiated by the contracting parties based on a proposal from the authorities.
21 MAY
Business:
Indoor facilities will now open in amusement parks, zoos, playgrounds, day colleges and evening schools.
Leisure:
With a Corona passport remaining sports, leisure and association activities, which have not been opened in previous phases, will re-open.
Extra information:
If infection levels do increase in municipalities, there will be a possibility of a quick local shutdown.
Aid packages for businesses will be extended in light of the gradual re-opening in the coming months until 30 June 2021.
Relevant infection prevention measures will continue to apply in all phases. For example, there will be limited opening hours, square meter requirements, and recommendations for the use of masks, limitation of the total number of spectators, seated audiences, and guidelines regarding distance, hygiene etc.
There may be closures and postponements related to the re-opening plan at institutional, local, municipal, or regional levels.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen heralded the new Coronapas (Corona Passport) as a very powerful weapon and protection for the community and the individual. It will provide information if a person has been fully vaccinated and has tested negative for Covid within the past 72 hours. Before April, the app MinSundhed (My Health) will function as a very simple corona step to ensure community safety and allow the public to attend cultural or business events after Easter. Please note: Children under the age of 15 will be exempt.
Please note: This is not an accredited translation, and we cannot guarantee accuracy. Information in Danish was sourced from tv2.dk