(Copenhagen) After almost two months without restriction, Denmark will reintroduce the health passport because of the sharp rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, the Prime Minister announced on Monday.
“The Epidemics Commission has recommended that the government classify the coronavirus as a ‘socially threatening disease’ and re-impose the coronapass. The government will follow this recommendation, ”Mette Frederiksen told a press conference.
A bill will be presented to Parliament on Tuesday.
2000 new cases Monday
At the end of last week, health authorities warned of a risk of seeing the country’s hospitals “overloaded” because of the “risk of COVID-19, flu and other infectious diseases”.
“Health officials expected more people to be infected (with COVID-19) and hospitalized, but things happened faster than expected,” said Mme Frederiksen.
On Monday, for the fifth day in a row, more than 2,000 new cases were reported in the Nordic kingdom of 5.8 million inhabitants, where 36 people are hospitalized in intensive care.
The health passport must be reintroduced in particular in bars and restaurants and nightclubs, and be compulsory from the age of 15.
“We can live with the coronapass. It allows you to have peace of mind when you go to the cinema or to a concert, ”assured the Prime Minister.
It will be more difficult for those of you who are not vaccinated. This is how I think it should be.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen
A pioneer of the health passport which was introduced there in the spring, Denmark abolished it on September 10, at a time when the number of new cases was four times lower than today’s figures.
The unvaccinated singled out
In Denmark, 85.9% of those over 12 received two doses of the vaccine.
According to the head of government, the increase in cases is due to a “small group that does not play by the rules”.
“They are accountable to the whole of Danish society right now,” she said, calling on those undecided to get vaccinated.