Denmark’s government holds conference on ‘the future of Denmark’ 

Denmark’s ruling Social Democrat government launches a conference on Tuesday on “the future of Denmark”, with speeches and workshops aimed at drawing a line under the coronavirus pandemic and refocusing the government on the goals for the rest of this parliamentary term, and into the next one. 

The government has invited in a broad selection of Danish society to discuss how to reform Denmark’s welfare state. 

Everyone in Denmark will have a third vaccine dose’: Health Minister

Denmark’s health authorities now expect to give third vaccine doses to everyone in the country, and aim to vaccinate 90 percent of the population, the country’s health minister said at a press conference on Monday.

At a press conference called by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to update citizens on the coronavirus pandemic, Magnus Heunicke said that the health authorities were now planning for booster doses to be universal.

“The expectation in Denmark is that we will all have a third dose of the vaccine,” he said. “The question is when.”

The Danish Health Authority said last week that it would publish guidelines this week on who in the country will be eligible for booster doses and when they can be expected to receive them, with the agency’s deputy director saying that the first in line would be people with health conditions that weaken their immune systems. Read our story here. 

Danish invests 800m kroner in pharma company to develop corona vaccine 

Denmark is investing 800m kroner in the coronavirus vaccine being developed by Bavarian Nordic, a Danish pharmaceuticals company. At a press conference on Monday, Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said the country would get at least half of the investment back in the form of doses, if the vaccine is approved by the European Medicines Agency, as expected, early next year. 

Danish parties call for Covid-19 to be downgraded from ‘an illness which is a threat to society’

Denmark’s centre-right Liberal party and far-left Red-Green Alliance have both called for Covid-19 to be downgraded so that is no longer classes as a serious threat to society, which will prevent the government from ordering local lockdowns, residence bans and compulsory tests.

“I think it is urgent, because from a reasonably sober consideration, we just have to state that Covid-19 does not as it is now live up to the definition of a socially critical disease, as described in the Epidemic Act,” said Peder Hvelplund, the Red-Green Alliance’s Covid-19 spokesperson. 

850 Afghans apply to come to Denmark under 2013 interpreter agreement

Around 850 Afghans applied last weekend to be allowed to come to Denmark via 2013 translator agreement, but only one of them met the criteria to be evacuated. 

“Until August 10th, we had four applications from people who said that they had been interpreters and worked with Danish soldiers,” Defence Minister Trine Bramsen said. “At the beginning of last week, the number increased, and now we have well over 1,000 applications. “Last week we identified 36 interpreters, and now over the weekend we have, out of many applications, identified one who has collaborated with Danish soldiers.”

Denmark to cut Covid-19 tax break for building work 

Denmark’s finance minister plans to drop the Boligjobordningen, or “housing jobs regulation”, brought in to encourage home-owners to hire builders and other artisans over the pandemic, from its coming finance bill, arguing that the sector is booming no longer needs government support. 

In 2021, the government doubled the allowed tax deduction for wages for craftsmen for energy improvements or climate adaptations from 12,500 to 25,000 kroner. According to TV2 the tax break is now being returned to normal.