Almost two months after the last measures in the fight against the spread of the corona pandemic were lifted in Denmark, 3G rules are to be reintroduced in the country.

After the number of infections had risen rapidly since the beginning of October, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced at a press conference on Monday evening that it was necessary to reintroduce the Corona passport.

With this corona passport, Danes can prove that they have been vaccinated, tested or recovered.

Matthias Wyssuwa

Political correspondent for Northern Germany and Scandinavia based in Hamburg.

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In the past few days, more than 2000 new infections had been reported in Denmark every day, on Monday 303 people infected with Covid-19 were treated in Danish hospitals.

That was the highest number since last February.

The seven-day incidence is 277.

"The health authorities assume that the infections will continue to increase," said Frederiksen.

"This increases the burden on the hospitals." Frederiksen said that the virus could not be allowed to run free.

The government wants the Corona passport to be shown again when visiting cafes, restaurants and nightclubs, when visiting hospitals and care facilities and at indoor events with more than 200 participants.

A limit of 2000 participants should apply for events in the outdoor area.

In addition, one wants to propose, so Frederiksen, that Covid-19 be classified again as a society-threatening disease.

That would be the basis for further measures.

76 percent of Danes are fully vaccinated

It was not until September 10 that the government lifted this classification and announced the end of all measures, including the mask requirement. On the exuberantly celebrated Freedom Day at the time, politicians argued that the pandemic was under control. Above all, however, Health Minister Magnus Heunicke cited the comparatively high vaccination rate in the country. So far, 76 percent of the entire population has been fully vaccinated, a comparatively high rate. In Germany it is only 67 percent. However, the vaccination rate in Denmark has barely increased in the past few weeks.

In an interview with German journalists at the end of October, Heunicke noted that there were always problems in the same regions and districts.

There are neighborhoods and cities in which the vaccination rate is also low.

This is especially the case where there are many migrants.

It is particularly difficult in these areas to vaccinate the younger ones.

Frederiksen now said: Those who have not yet been vaccinated should do so now.

"It will be more difficult for anyone who is not vaccinated, and I think it should be," she said.

Frederiksen went on to say that what can be done is to prevent "a small group of unvaccinated people's views of the vaccine" from ruining everything for the vast majority.

In Sweden, where all measures against the spread of the coronavirus have also been lifted and the vaccination rate is only slightly higher than in Germany, the seven-day incidence is now 55.