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Danish PM suggests country could bring back Covid-19 measures

Ritzau/The Local
Ritzau/The Local - [email protected]
Danish PM suggests country could bring back Covid-19 measures
Statsminister Mette Frederiksen under pressemøde, hvor der besvares spørgsmål rejst i relation til smser i minksagen, Spejlsalen i Statsministeriet i København, onsdag den 3. november 2021. (Foto: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix)

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen expects Denmark to introduce “initiatives” to slow the current spread of Covid-19 in the country.

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In statements posted on social media on Sunday, the PM said the measures may be necessary to “hold down infections”.

“We will then prevent hospital admissions,” she added.

The government considers the current trend of infections with the coronavirus in Denmark as of “increasing seriousness and concern”, Frederiksen wrote.

“The disease is again beginning to have more serious consequences for our society and health service. I therefor also expect it to be necessary to have initiatives that can break chains of infection,” she wrote.

The PM meanwhile urged people not yet vaccinated against the virus to “book an appointment now”.

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Monday saw the fifth consecutive day with over 2,000 new cases of Covid-19 in Denmark. 2,294 people tested positivite from 102,000, a test positivity rate of 2.25 percent.

Over 300 people are now admitted to Danish hospitals with the virus after that total rose to 303 on Monday. That is the highest number since February 15th.

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In her Facebook and Instagram post, Frederiksen said that unvaccinated people risk spreading the coronavirus to vaccinated people, including those in elderly and high risk groups for serious illness.

The PM did not name specific measures or decisions the government might take to slow the current wave of infections.

Earlier in the pandemic, restrictions included limits on assembly use of facemasks in certain public places and a requirement for a valid Covid-19 health pass (coronapas) to access some services, events or location.

The coronapas is used to document a recent negative Covid-19 test or immunity aganst the virus due to vaccination or recent recovery from infection.

Experts last week called for its reintroduction, along with the use of facemasks, as a way to reduce infections “here and now”.

Health minister Magnus Heunicke late last week asked parliament’s epidemic commission to review the current status of the Covid-19 epidemic in Denmark. Potentially, this could see it upgraded it from “infectious disease” to “critical threat” to society.

The distinction is relevant because Danish law now requires an epidemic to have the latter status for the government to be able to introduce restrictions like face mask mandates, assembly limits and lockdowns, as well as coronapas requirements.

The commission, which includes representatives from health authorities, the police and four ministries, met on Sunday but it is unclear when it will pronounce its position.

Once it the commission has addressed the issue, the parliamentary epidemic committee (udvalg in Danish, not to be confused with the commission, kommission) can discuss whether to reimplement the status of “critical threat”, which was lifted in September this year.

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