Denmark’s government said on Wednesday that some coronavirus restrictions will ease on March 1, citing the need to juggle a drop in caseloads and fears of the spread of the more transmissible British strain.
As of Monday, many shops that have been closed since the end of 2020 would be allowed to reopen, provided their retail space is less than 5,000 square meters and they are not located in shopping malls.
Larger stores can also reopen, but with a very limited number of customers.
“We have taken a big and important step towards a responsible, controlled and gradual reopening,” Justice Minister Nick Haekkerup said.
The eased restrictions were in line with advice from health experts, said Haekkerup along with the ministers of health and education.
The easing was agreed between Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s minority Social Democrats and three centre-left parties.
Outdoor cultural institutions were also allowed to receive visitors as of March, if visitors can present a corona test that is no more than 72 hours old.
The cap on public public meetings for organized outdoor sports activities will be raised from 5 to 25 participants.
Pupils graduating from schools in north and west Jutland would from Monday be allowed back to school – although classes would be limited to 50 percent of capacity, and pupils be required to undergo two Covid-19 tests a week.
Schools – including lower grades – would meanwhile reopen in the Baltic Sea island Bornholm.
February 27 is the one-year anniversary of Denmark’s first recorded virus case. Since then, the Scandinavian country has recorded more than 200,000 cases and almost 2,350 virus-related deaths.
