Coronavirus in Denmark: Day 21 of the shutdown

On Wednesday, Søren Brostrøm, Director General of the Danish Health Authority, held a press conference. He reported that 224 healthcare employees (DK) in the Greater Copenhagen and Zealand Regions have now been infected with the coronavirus. They represent 10 percent of all the infected. This is becoming a critical factor in several countries. First, doctors, nurses and others on the front lines should be able to go to work without risking their lives. Second, patients should be treated by healthcare personnel who aren’t a threat themselves. Third, if many of the staff become sick and cannot work, the system may not be able to care for all the sick patients. Fourth, the staff should be tested regularly and frequently. And finally, the need for employees to take cautious measures can put pressure on the supply of personal protective equipment available. Brostrøm expressed concern about all of these things. The vice chair of the Regions reported that the supplies of PPE were not in abundance but were sufficient.

Brostrøm also reported that it will be easier for people with mild symptoms to be tested. They can be referred to testing directly (DK) from the GPs instead of being evaluated first by a hospital. People who live with a person in a high-risk group, such as those over 80, and people who live in close proximity to others, such as those in a nursing home, can also be tested. The objective is now to test 5,000 per day, but it has not been possible to process that number yet because of a shortage of tests. Brostrøm acknowledged that Denmark previously had not been testing as extensively as the WHO recommended and said that they were working hard to increase capacity.

Coronavirus in Europe

Neighboring Sweden has followed looser policy (DK) than the other Scandinavian countries. It has not required or advised people to stay at home and isolate themselves. This has caused concern in Denmark because many Swedes commute to work in Denmark over the Øresund Bridge and the ferry from southern Sweden. The coronavirus seems to have arrived in the country slightly later than in Denmark, and the figures on infection and deaths had been roughly comparable, until this past week. Yesterday, it saw 59 deaths, while 14 occurred in Denmark; Sweden’s population is about twice as large as Denmark’s. Sweden has now implemented tighter restrictions and made recommendations on social distancing. According to Søren Riis Paludan, Professor of Virology and Immunology at Aarhus Universitet, however, one cannot simply conclude that Sweden’s strategy was wrong. It may result in a steeper infection curve, achieve herd immunity sooner, and return to normal activity sooner. But it may also put greater pressure on the healthcare system.

Southern European countries that are suffering the most from the pandemic have been asking the other EU member states for help. This has become a sore point in the EU again, with some of the northern countries in particular rejecting calls for the issuance of EU “Corona bonds,” for example. Several Danish political parties are now discussing ways in which Denmark could aid Italy (DK), the hardest hit, either by sharing equipment, by sending healthcare workers, or by taking patients. This will probably be sensitive issue throughout Europe for some time to come as each country needs to ensure that it has sufficient capacity to manage the epidemic within its borders.

Postponing amusement but keeping the news channels open

Parliament passed a bill to give 180 million kroner ($26 million) to the media industry as partial compensation for a drastic drop in advertising revenue (DK).

Tivoli, the world’s oldest amusement park, which is located in central Copenhagen, was supposed to open today. It has postponed the opening (DK) until May 1. Did it really wait until now to make that decision? Will we be ready to share a roller coaster seat with others by May Day?

Deaths per day in the period March 23-31: 6, 6, 6, 10, 12, 9, 8, 10, 12.

The pattern of confirmed infections is similar: the curve is indeed flattening, but it has not yet flattened out. In all their announcements, Søren Brostrøm, spokespersons for police and other officials remind people not to relax the social distancing practices that are showing that they work.