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Great news for events, but supermarkets decide to maintain corona restrictions despite permission to lift them

Ben Hamilton
August 16th, 2021


This article is more than 3 years old.

Since Saturday, facemasks have no longer been required whilst boarding or standing on public transport, after the government decided to bring forward the discontinuation from September 1. More people can also attend events indoors

He must be a time traveller from the year 2020 (photo: Nickolay Romensky)

You might have missed it, but Friday August 13 was the last day on which we were required to wear facemasks on public transport. 

Originally, the restriction was due to be lifted on September 1.

However, the government, citing the progress of the vaccination program – just under 65 percent of the population are now fully covered – has decided to lift a number of restrictions earlier than planned.

Confirmed! We can sit closer to one another
Distancing requirements have also been discontinued in a number of indoor locations, including cinemas, churches, shops and concerts. Previously two sqm per person was required, which meant staggered seating.

This meant that a great number of weekend confirmation services could be attended by far more people than previously allowed.

It has also had an impact on the ongoing LGBTI+ mega-festival Copenhagen 2021, where many of the events will now be granted far larger attendance capacities.

For example, CPH Queer Theatre Festival performance Berghain, which is tonight at 23:00 at Skuespilhuset and free to attend, has been able to grant a whole load of extra tickets to the public.

Supermarkets to retain distancing in queues
However, a number of supermarkets, including Netto and Brugsen, intend to continue with the floor stickers indicating staggered queuing, whilst also making hand sanitiser available at entrances and exits.

Brugsen is owned by Coop, and its communications and analysis manager, Lars Aarup, said customers wanted the added security. 

“It turns out that customers are very satisfied with the guidance regarding where they should queue,” he told DR.

The only significant change, he revealed, would be a sign at the front door indicating how many people are in the store. Plexiglass plates in front of the checkout operators will also remain in place.

The country’s other major supermarket owner, Salling Group, which owns Netto, concurs that the floor markings, hand sanitiser and plexiglass will remain.


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A survey carried out by Megafon for TV2 has found that 71 percent of parents have handed over children to daycare in spite of them being sick.

Moreover, 21 percent of those surveyed admitted to medicating their kids with paracetamol, such as Panodil, before sending them to school.

The FOLA parents’ organisation is shocked by the findings.

“I think it is absolutely crazy. It simply cannot be that a child goes to school sick and plays with lots of other children. Then we are faced with the fact that they will infect the whole institution,” said FOLA chair Signe Nielsen.

Pill pushers
At the Børnehuset daycare institution in Silkeborg a meeting was called where parents were implored not to bring their sick children to school.

At Børnehuset there are fears that parents prefer to pack their kids off with a pill without informing teachers.

“We occasionally have children who that they have had a pill for breakfast,” said headteacher Susanne Bødker. “You might think that it is a Panodil more than a vitamin pill, if it is a child who has just been sick, for example.”

Parents sick and tired
Parents, when confronted, often cite pressure at work as a reason for not being able to stay at home with their children.

Many declare that they simply cannot take another day off, as they are afraid of being fired.

Allan Randrup Thomsen, a professor of virology at KU, has heavily criticised the parents’ actions, describing the current situation as a “vicious circle”.

“It promotes the spread of viruses, and it adds momentum to a cycle where parents are pressured by high levels of sick-leave. If they then choose to send the children to daycare while they are still recovering, they keep the epidemic going in daycares, and this in turn puts a greater burden on the parents.”