Denmark reinstates Covid-19 health pass requirement as cases climb

Two months after all coronavirus restrictions were lifted for residents of Denmark, the Nordic country reinstated some limits on public life to beat back a new wave of infections.

Starting on Friday, a coronavirus health pass will be required at bars, restaurants, cafes and nightclubs, as well as large events.

The pass is used to prove that a person has received a Covid-19 vaccine, recovered from the disease, or recently tested negative.

The requirement applies to adults and children over the age of 15.

In the future, some citizens may also have to show their health pass at work.

According to employment minister Mattias Tesfaye, companies will be able to demand such proof from their employees.

Winter

The government's top priority is to get the Danish society safely through the pandemic this winter, Tesfaye said in Copenhagen on Friday.

Denmark lifted the last of its domestic pandemic measures on 10 September, including masks mandates. Only entry restrictions were kept in place.

The government in Copenhagen had justified this by citing the high Danish vaccination figures and also with the fact that the pandemic was under control.

It took several weeks for cases to begin rising. It wasn't until mid-October that an increase was registered. Recently Denmark has hit daily case highs that exceed anything previously recorded this year.