Denmark will no longer categorize COVID-19 as a “socially critical disease” as of February 1, Health Minister Magnus Heunicke wrote in a letter to the parliament’s epidemiology committee.
Based on the recommendations of the parliament’s epidemiology committee, the government is ready to scrap almost all social restrictions by the end of the month. The “rules will lapse when the illness will no longer be categorized as ‘socially critical’ on 1 February 2022,” Heunicke wrote in the letter.
This announcement comes as a new subvariant of Omicron, BA.2, is gaining a foothold in Denmark, accounting for almost half of reported cases. Other countries such as Norway, the U.K. and Sweden are also experiencing a similar increase of the subvariant, but not to the same level as Denmark.
Although the arrival of Omicron BA.2 has caused a renewed surge in infections — making Denmark the EU country with the highest incidence of coronavirus — its health authorities say that hasn’t caused any increase in hospitalizations.
The classification of a disease as “socially critical” means that the government can introduce far-reaching measures such as shutting businesses and making mask-wearing mandatory.
This echoes a wider trend in EU countries to treat Omicron as an endemic disease, circulating freely but posing less of a threat to societies. Although Omicron is less dangerous than the earlier Delta strain, some health experts adopt a more cautious line, arguing that the focus should be on suppressing the virus, rather than living with it.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is expected to hold a press conference later Wednesday to confirm the easing of coronavirus restrictions in the country.
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