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Today in Denmark For Members

Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Thursday

Michael Barrett
Michael Barrett - [email protected]
Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Thursday
Udstillingen "Eskimoer og Grønland" på Nationalmuseet i København, torsdag den 30. juli 2020. Nationalmuseet vil i næste uge begynde arbejdet med at droppe ordet "eskimo" i sin arktiske udstilling "Eskimoer og Grønland". Det skyldes , at ordet "eskimo" af mange opfattes nedsættende.. (Foto: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix)

Find out what's going on in Denmark today with The Local's short roundup of the news in less than five minutes.

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Restrictions on cultural sector to be eased

The government last night confirmed the re-opening of cultural institutions, which have been closed due to Covid-19 since December 19th.  

A maximum of 500 people will be allowed into indoor venues including theatres, cinemas, museums and conference centres. Amusement parks are also allowed to reopen.

The new rules come into effect on January 16th.

Some of the restrictions introduced in December remain in place: Bars and restaurants still have to close at 11pm and the sale of alcohol remains be banned from 10pm to 5am.

The extended restrictions are now scheduled to expire on January 31st.

We’ll have full detail of the changes in an article on our website today.

READ ALSO: Denmark confirms change to coronapas validity period

Fourth Covid-19 vaccine dose to be offered to at-risk groups

A fourth Covid vaccine dose for highly vulnerable people has meanwhile been proposed by the government.

Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said the move marked a "new chapter" in the fight against the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Denmark will offer the fourth dose to "the most vulnerable citizens" -- notably those diagnosed with serious ailments who received an initial booster during the autumn, Heunicke said at yesterday evening’s press briefing.

Health authorities said those concerned would be contacted by early next week.

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Denmark donates 400,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses to Lebanon

Over 400,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine have been donated to Lebanon, the Danish foreign ministry confirmed to news wire Ritzau late on Wednesday.

The doses are considered to be surplus to the Danish vaccination programme.

“Denmark is in the fortunate situation that we have more Moderna vaccines in stock than we need, so the only right thing to do is send them out,” Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said.

The choice of Lebanon as the recipient was made in consultation with the EU. The Middle Eastern country is stricken by corrupt government and severe economic collapse, alongside the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and trauma from a catastrophic explosion at Beirut’s harbour in 2020.

Immigration minister at EU hearing over Danish treatment of Syrian refugees

Minister for Immigration and Integration Mattias Tesfaye is today at the European Parliament in Brussels, where he will attend an EU civil rights committee over Denmark’s policy of sending some Syrian refugees back to the Damascus region.

The EU’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) has summoned Tesfaye to the hearing.

In mid-2020, Denmark became the first European Union country to re-examine the cases of about 500 Syrians from Damascus, which is under the control of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, claiming “the current situation in Damascus is no longer such as to justify a residence permit or the extension of a residence permit”. 

Despite a wave of Danish and international criticism, the government and Tesfaye’s ministry has refused to budge.

READ ALSO: ‘I can’t go back’: Syrian refugees in Denmark face limbo after status revoked

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