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SSI optimistic corona has peaked in the cities as restrictions end in Denmark
Ben Hamilton
February 1st, 2022
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Cases among school children have been steadily falling in urban areas since last week, the institute confirms
Vaccination has been a popular option among the over-65s (photo: Pixabay)
Since midnight, corona has no longer been regarded as a socially critical disease in Denmark.
Today, all of the country’s restrictions have accordingly been lifted, bar a few requirements in areas where vulnerable people reside, such as hospitals and nursing homes.
Nightclubs will be able to open and restaurants and bars will be able to resume normal hours. Facemasks and corona passes are no longer needed to visit such establishments.
“I dare not say that it is a final goodbye to restrictions,” PM Mette Frederiksen told Go ‘Morgen P3
“We do not know what will happen between now and the autumn: a new variant might come along.”
Peaked in urban areas
Recent infection numbers would appear to suggest corona has peaked in most urban areas, according to Tyra Grove Krause from the Statens Serum Institut.
“There are many indications that the infection has peaked in the areas where it has been most pronounced,” she said according to DR.
“In the capital and Region Zealand, we already saw a declining infection rate at the end of last week – especially among school children.”
However, infection rates in the regions are expected to rise, warned Krause, and also amongst the elderly.
In other corona news:
– Some 29,084 people were infected between Sunday and Monday afternoon – down from 51,033 in the previous 24 hours. However, there were far fewer PCR tests, and the infection rate remains the same. In total, there were 35 deaths over the two days. There are now 1,028 corona-related patients in hospital, of which 32 are in intensive care and 15 on a respirator. However, around 40 percent were admitted for reasons other than corona.
– BA2 is more contagious than BA1, the Omicron sub-variant it has quickly replaced as the country’s dominant strain. SSI-backed studies suggest there is a 39 percent probability that it will be passed on at home within the first week of infection, compared to 29 percent for BA1.
– Some 60 percent of the population have now had the booster – over 3.5 million in total.
– The European Medicines Agency has approved Pfizer’s corona pill, but only for people vulnerable to coronary heart disease. Tests have shown that its consumption reduces the risk of hospitalisation and death by 89 percent.
– DSB handed out 2,761 fines to train passengers who were unable to produce a corona pass between December 19 and January 30, the rail operator has confirmed.
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