Professional group releases reopening recommendations
It charts a gradual reopening in Denmark through Easter
Denmark’s COVID Task Force has submitted its recommendations to the Danish government for a gradual easing of the current lockdown restrictions.
Important to note the government will take these recommendations and other information to the other political parties before an official announcement on Wednesday. The result may differ from the recommendations below.
The Task Force is recommending the current lockdown restrictions, which were set to expire on February 28th, be extended until April 5th. However they are also asking for some restrictions to be eased.
It is proposing department stores up to 5,000 m2 be able to reopen with tightened social distancing requirements. This does not apply to department stores inside of malls or shopping centers.
It would also like to green light the reopening of cultural institutions albeit with the ability to require a negative corona test.
For outdoor sports and other organized activities the task force is endorsing the assembly ban being raised from five to 20 people.
There is also a regional component with a broader reopening being suggested for North and West Jutland. There the task force would like to allow students to return to primary, upper secondary, and adult education schools albeit at half classroom capacity. Students would also be mandated to take a twice weekly COVID test.
The task force is also advocating for efterskoles to reopen with full attendance with “infection prevention measures described by the Danish Health and Medicines Authority.”
The COVID Task Force says other areas of the country could then initiate a similar reopening, should they have low enough infection rates, two weeks later so after March 15th.
Another area the task force would like to see be able to have a major reopening is Bornholm. It says the island could reopen schools for all grades at all levels, including adult education. The reopening would be contingent on a mandatory twice a week corona test for all students, staff, and teachers.
Matter of fact the task force is recommending everyone on the island be tested once a week. Anyone traveling to or from the island by ferry or airplane would also have to present a negative test result or proof of vaccination.
It would also like to raise the gathering limit on Bornholm from five to ten and open up liberal professions with the requirement customers show proof of vaccination or a negative corona test.
The COVID Task Force in making the recommendations takes pains to note there will still be a need to initiate local closures to respond to outbreaks.
It also notes with each reopening scenario the modeling shows there will be consequences. The group especially underscores recent studies out of the United Kingdom showing U.K. variant infections could mean a higher risk of hospitalization and death. The modeling calculated a low and high number of possible hospitalizations for each scenario.
It is worth noting these studies are not peer reviewed yet and Denmark’s Staten Serum Institut is launching its own study on the matter.
It also emphasizes emerging variants, especially the U.K. mutation, are an x-factor with the potential to derail any reopening plan.