Because of the many gatherings that I reported on yesterday, the Danish Police have identified several areas as “hotspots” that people should avoid (DK). They are locations by the waterfront and other recreational areas where people often congregate in the good weather, and a few have been designated in all the major cities. The police advise people to find less popular places to take the sun and help reduce the risk of spreading the corona virus. They are posting notices and will be stationed in the areas to break up groups of more than 10 people and issue fines if people don’t comply.
The administration and coronavirus.dk have tweeted an animated message (DK) to the same effect intended for young people. It reminds them that, although they may be healthy and symptom-free, they may be carrying the virus, which can spread when they socialize and cultivate the famous Danish hygge (“coziness” or relaxed conviviality). They could infect the elderly and people with chronic illnesses, who can die from it. The hashtag “#sammenhverforsig” has become one of the crisis management team’s slogans. It can be translated as “together separately”; that is, show solidarity by keeping a distance to others – a sort of the pandemic variation on the Dumas’s three muskateers’ “All for one and one for all.”
“All for one” on EU corona bonds?
Meanwhile, at an online meeting on Thursday, the leaders of the European Union member states could not agree (DK) on the terms of an aid package for countries hurt by the pandemic. They have approved a package of DKK 4,000 billion (about $570 billion) that is intended to help employees, businesses and countries that have been hurt the worst by pandemic. But some of the southern European countries also want the EU to assume joint liability for debt, and some of the northern countries, including Denmark, are against that. Denmark’s position is that the contributions from the individual countries should be maintained at 1 percent of the country’s GDP and that it should be possible to help the hardest-hit countries within the framework of the current budget.
Margrethe Vestager, the European Minister for Competition and former Danish cabinet minister, earlier in the week advocated the creation of shared European debt (DK), so-called corona bonds. She argued that, while during the financial crisis some countries suffered because their banks were ill-prepared, in this case the pandemic is no one’s fault. If the countries with stronger economies support the bonds, the interest rate will be lower. French President Emmanuel Macron has also been arguing recently that mutualized debt is necessary in order keep the EU together and if the member states do not show solidarity, it will further the populistic elements that have gained a large following in recent years and that have divided them. Danish Finance Minister Nicolai Wammen is skeptical about this step, which has been debated for years, warning that shared debt could weaken the individual countries’ incentive to maintain sound finances.
Extra credit in biology
The tabloid B.T. reports an unintended consequence of one form of corona virus workaround that occurred among eighth-grade students of Rismølle School in Randers, Jutland. After finishing an online class at 9:45 a.m., their teacher forgot to turn off the computer and the students could hear the sounds of sexual intercourse (DK) in the school’s “online universe.” The principal sent a message to parents apologizing for the incident and assuring them that the part of the transmission in question consisted only of audio, that is, not livestreaming video. “But of course that is also serious,” the message concluded. Whether the teacher was involved in the offensive activity was not disclosed. Like everything else, hygge has its limits.
Danes are not following the authorities’ recommendations (DK) on hygiene and social distancing as strictly as they were before, according to a new study. A research project called “HOPE – How Democracies Cope with Covid-19” has found that as the number of infections and deaths decline and society begins to reopen, Danes are easing up on the practices that led to an improvement of the situation. Michael Bang Petersen, Professor at the Institute for Political Science at Aarhus University, says the tendency has been consistent and is cause for concern. Most people continue to comply with the guidelines, but it becomes harder to do so over time. People get a sense of security because the infection figures are falling and they are tired of following a strict regime, says Petersen.
The survey covered three parameters: hand hygiene – whether people washed their hands several times a day; social distancing – whether they avoid gatherings of more than 10 people; and whether they had changed their behavior generally during the lockdown. The figures for all three parameters show that people’s compliance with the recommendations peaked around March 23-25 and has been declining steadily since. The problem with using such information in an epidemic, says Petersen, is that the effects of changed behavior may not show up in symptoms until 14 days later, when it is too late to avoid infection. He urges people to maintain their discipline, especially now, when businesses are reopening and people are coming into closer contact, because not doing so could lead to a second wave of infections. In that case, the country would lose the progress it has made.
Debating the criteria for reopening
A child psychologist has criticized the conditions (DK) in which the youngest children are returning to day-care centers and has advised parents to keep them home. In an interview on Sunday, Margrethe Brun Hansen argued that children under the age of three should be introduced to nurseries gradually, with their parents in the room until they feel secure. Minister for Children and Education Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil said that she could understand why some parents might be concerned, but she has a young child herself and is not worried. She said that we have well-educated employees who evaluate the children when they arrive. The key factor for her was that the staff comply with the Health Authorities’ guidelines before they open a day-care center.
The Sports Confederation of Denmark has announced that it has received new guidelines from the Health Authority and it is removing its ban on activities for sports (DK) that take place outdoors without physical contact. This applies to sports that involve only small groups and that can be conducted according to the general guidelines for the pandemic. For example, people must dress and shower at home and not share equipment. The Health Authority’s ban on sports had applied specifically to indoor sports, but the Sports Confederation itself extended it to cover outdoor sports as well as a precautionary measure. The sports that can reopen include golf, tennis and kayaking, in which few people participate together. Team sports such as soccer that involve physical contact, are still not allowed.
Sex is good
Another physical activity that usually involves few people has also gotten a green light. At a press conference on Monday, Søren Brostrøm, the head of the Danish Health Authority, assured people that there is no ban on sex (DK): “Sex is good. Sex is healthy. We are sexual creatures.” Singles can also have sex, he continued, referring people to the practical guidelines on safe sex on the Health Authority’s web site. The website indeed has an enormous amount of information on all aspects of behavior and social relations during the epidemic. On its FAQ page (DK), it says that the corona virus is not transmitted by semen and blood and that you should protect yourself by “washing your hands (and any sex toys) with soap and water before and after sex and masturbation.” The advisability of wearing masks for singles who are dating is not addressed.
A few days ago, when Tanja Wadmann Gade saw many tourists on the west coast of Jutland who were not complying with the government’s restrictions on social distancing, she posted a video from her car on Facebook (DK) to refresh their memory. “What the hell is going on here?” it began. Most of the 2,000 comments on the post were favorable, but many weren’t. Gade finally decided to remove the video and posted a second one in which she explained that “when disagreement becomes hate, you have to draw the line and put an end to it.”
On Easter weekend in Denmark, Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday are holidays. That means that people are used to shopping heavily at supermarkets and other stores on Saturday. Many customers at Bilka, the country’s answer to Walmart, were shocked at the crowds (DK). “It was like Christmas shopping. . . . If I get the coronavirus, it will be today.” Bilka’s management said that it had posted the government’s guidelines on social distancing, that staff were assigned to enforce them, and that the police had been to several branches to check that conditions were satisfactory.
Drive-in worship, open bar
Ordinary Easter church services were canceled this year because of the lockdown, but several congregations held drive-in services (DK) in their parking lots. Churches in Aarhus went together on a joint service at a drive-in movie theater. Attendees sang hymns in their cars and honked their horns in unison during the service.
There was a long line in front of the Admiral pub in Silkeborg, Jutland, which gave away a supply of draft beer (DK) that was passing its sell-by date because the pub has been closed during the lockdown. People seemed to be in a festive mood as they showed up with pitchers from home. The pub’s owner, Kenn Jørgensen, had posted signs reminding people to keep two meters’ distance from one another and let only a few into the pub at a time, but many people stood close together. The police were on hand to see that things didn’t get out of control. “We have put the place on the map,” said Jørgensen.
Yesterday, Easter Sunday, the administration held a meeting with right-wing opposition parties to negotiate the reopening the healthcare system (DK). The latter were dissatisfied with the administration’s lack of concrete measures to reestablish patient rights and broke off the negotiations. The healthcare system has suspended much of its normal operations in order to manage the demands of the Covid-19 epidemic, but it now has vacant capacity. The opposition says it wants more than vague statements of intentions and wants private hospitals to be used to handle the demand that has accumulated since the lockdown went into effect.
Passing the time in captivity
It’s no surprise that some shifts take place in the economy during the lockdown. The airlines are struggling; sales of protective gloves and toilet paper are soaring. Another business that’s doing very well is sex toys. In the first week of April, Sinful, the biggest retailer in the field in Scandinavia, saw revenues double over the level last year. Its line of multiple-day challenges is especially popular. The company’s founder, Mathilde Mackowski, is glad that she can offer something that helps people get through the crisis.
