Danish government has ordered nightclubs, bars and restaurants to close at midnight in an attempt to counter an increase in COVID-19 cases
COPENHAGEN, Denmark – The Danish government has decided that pupils up to grade 10 must study remotely during the last days before the Christmas holidays and has ordered nightclubs, bars and restaurants to close at midnight in part of efforts to counter an increase in COVID-19 cases.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has also banned concerts where the audience has more than 50 people standing and forced restaurant patrons to wear masks when they are not seated. He further recommended on Wednesday that people work from home,
The measures apply from Friday and are expected to last four weeks. Virtual education begins Wednesday, December 15. In Denmark, schools go on Christmas holidays on December 20.
Speaking of the omicron variant, Frederiksen said it is “expected to mean more infected, sicker and therefore potentially more hospitalized patients.”
“So the new variant also carries a significant risk of critical overloading of health services, and that is why we now need to do more,†Frederiksen said.
Norway introduced a 10-person limit on gatherings in private homes on Tuesday, although the number is raised to 20 on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It also caps attendance at public events without allocated seats at 50. In Additionally, the government says it is advising people to work from home when possible and is reintroducing a social distancing requirement for restaurants.
Neighboring Sweden has also recommended that employers give their workers the option of working from home, and face masks are mandatory on public transport when overcrowding cannot be avoided.
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