Ben Hamilton
September 9th, 2021

Share

We appear to be fighting it off (photo: Pixabay)

The nation has improved its hygiene, according to a study carried out by Norstat on behalf of the Sundhedsstyrelsen health authority.

For example, we are washing our hands more and being more careful about where we cough or sneeze.

And we are also distancing far more than before the pandemic started.

Proof in the numbers
Among the findings, 18 percent say they are more likely to work at home should they have illness symptoms, 85 percent agree that good hygiene is important to limit the spread of corona, 72 percent agree that they now wash their hands more thoroughly, and 79 percent now keep more distance from others in public.

Some 22 percent of parents say they are more likely to keep their children home should they have illness symptoms and 28 percent say they now pay more attention to their kids’ hand hygiene.

Only 7 percent say they have not changed their behaviour.

First round of third injections administered yesterday
Yesterday, 30 dialysis patients at Aarhus University Hospital became the first people in Denmark to receive a third vaccination injection, Region Midtjylland confirmed to TV2, and today 170 will be administered in the Capital Region: at three nursing homes in Herlev. The decision to start offering third injections was taken on August 30, and the elderly will be offered the option first as they are considered to be the most vulnerable. The three other regions, Zealand, North Jutland and  Southern Denmark, will administer their first jabs on Friday.

Young people less vulnerable than nations with childhood obesity problems
Despite the increase in the number of young children being admitted to hospital in countries such as the US and UK, there has been no increase in Denmark, Mette Holm, the chief doctor at the Department of Children and Adolescents at Aarhus University Hospital, told TV2. It is believed that childhood obesity and poor socio-economic conditions might be to blame for higher rates in other countries. Only 23 serious cases were detected among children between March 2020 and February 2021 in Denmark.

Supermarkets to offer vaccinations from Saturday
Pop-up vaccination centres will open at several supermarket chains on September 11. The centres will welcome people at selected Bilka and Føtex outlets. No appointment is necessary. Bilka is probably the best bet as 16 out of its 19 stores are participating. Only its stores in Hjørring, Sønderborg and Field’s, Copenhagen are not.

No more isolating for school children should their chums get infected
Public school and kindergarten children will no longer be sent home to isolate should their close contacts get infected with corona. Instead they will be required to get several tests: on Days 1, 4 and 6 after being informed of the risk. The new rules apply to all children aged four to 16.

One in 400 infected despite being fully vaccinated
Over 10,000 fully-vaccinated people in Denmark have been infected with coronavirus since December 2020, according to Statens Serum Institut. Between late December and the end of August, 9,253 cases were registered among people who had been fully vaccinated for at least two weeks – 0.23 percent of the total. A further 1,613 were infected before they were fully covered.

Reproduction rate at its lowest since June
The corona reproduction rate is currently 0.7, meaning that for every ten cases, it is likely another seven people will be infected. It is the lowest rate since June and the health minister, Magnus Heunicke, is happy with the result, noting on Twitter that “Denmark is in really good shape”. Just last week, the rate was 0.9. At the latest count, 72.9 percent of the nation are fully vaccinated – 4,269,947 people – and 75.5 percent have had at least one jab. Some 128 people are currently hospitalised and the current death count is 2,599.