Covid 19 coronavirus: Denmark gambles on reopening amid third wave in Europe

Most restrictions on normal life in Denmark are set to be removed by the end of May.

Denmark, long an advocate for a cautious approach to Covid-19, is ready to take a "calculated risk" and unlock quickly as local scientists say that the risk of a third wave is low.

Last week, nine of the country's 10 political parties backed a plan to remove most restrictions on normal life by the end of May, coinciding with vaccines having been offered to all over-50s.

That places it in stark contrast to Britain, which should reach the same landmark by mid-April but will not fully remove restrictions until late June, when the entire adult population will have been offered a first dose.

Starting on April 6 with the reopening of hairdressers, restrictions will be eased every two weeks in the Scandinavian nation, with larger shopping centres allowed to open from April 21 and indoor dining from May 6.

Officials are aware that the unlocking will probably lead to an increase in infections and hospitalisations, but believe that is manageable. Discussing the first stage of easing in late February, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said: "We are taking a calculated risk."

The lockdown is starting to have very grave consequences. But the reopening comes with a price: the more you reopen, the more people will be infected and the more people will be hospitalised.

"Denmark's confidence stems from its test and trace system and the impact of vaccines on hospitalisations," said Professor Christian Wejse, a specialist in infectious diseases at Aarhus University and a Danish government adviser on contact tracing.

"We are offering vaccines to all above 50, that's about 40 per cent of the population. Although that is far from herd immunity, it is still likely to take a lot of steam off," said Professor Wejse. The country is operating what he calls a "very heavy testing regimen" including twice-weekly testing for those who go to work.

Denmark's contact tracing has proved its worth just months after being overwhelmed by the country's second wave. Despite reopening schools for younger children and most shops in February, there have been eight weeks of relatively low infections.

"We've put a lot of extra effort into contact tracing, so it's been possible to shut down most of the outbreaks we've had," explains Wejse. A "passport" scheme will also be in place, requiring people to have been vaccinated or have tested negative in the last 72 hours to access certain public spaces, such as restaurants and barbers.